Autonomy Growth Research Articles

A level of trust: Exploring entrustable professional activities as a feedback tool in a skills lab

IntroductionThere is a lack of data on use of entrustable professional activitie (EPA) statements and levels of entrustment as a feedback tool in pharmacy education. This study examined EPAs as a feedback tool for student pharmacists in a skills lab series. MethodsEighty-seven third-year student pharmacists ranked their perceived level of entrustment using a three-point scale for 13 EPA core statements in two consecutive semesters. Each semester, students were provided with an individualized EPA report that disclosed the levels of entrustment generated from a feedback model. These levels of entrustment were determined based on student performance in objective structured clinical examination stations and high-stakes activities. The primary objective compared the difference in median entrustment scores between the self-assessment survey and the feedback model. Changes over time in self-assessment accuracy and bias were explored as secondary objectives. ResultsA significant difference was observed between self-assessment and feedback scores for most EPAs in both the fall (Z = −2.38) and spring semesters (Z = −7.77). Self-assessment accuracy significantly improved over time. (T1 = 0.67, T2 = 0.62). Students displayed under confidence of self-assessment in the fall and overconfidence in spring. The Cronbach's alpha values for the study instruments were above 0.8, indicating good reliability. ConclusionsThe difference between self-assessment and feedback scores highlighted the potential of using EPAs to enhance self-awareness and provide feedback in a skills lab series. Self-evaluation of EPAs in a skills lab may also benefit student development as self-reported growth in autonomy was observed over time.

Online Science Instruction Can Promote Adolescents' Autonomy Need Satisfaction: a Latent Growth Curve Analysis.

This research examined the differential motivational effects of a pre-college science enrichment program delivered in both online and in-person learning formats. Using self-determination theory as a guiding framework, we hypothesized that (a) students would exhibit growth in their perceived satisfaction of needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, (b) online learning would be associated with greater growth in autonomy, and (c) in-person learning would be associated with greater growth in both competence and relatedness. Using a sample of 598 adolescent participants, results of latent growth curve modeling indicated that satisfaction of the three needs grew unconditionally over the course of the program. However, format type was unrelated to growth in need satisfaction. Rather, this effect was found to be conditional upon the type of science project undertaken by students: astrophysics students exhibited significantly greater autonomy growth when receiving online instruction than did biochemistry students. Our findings suggest that online science learning can be just as effective in motivating students as in-person learning provided that the learning tasks are conducive to remote instruction.

Utilizing SBIRT as a Framework for Transforming How We Think About Prevention and Early Intervention for Youth and Young Adults

Utilizing SBIRT as a Framework for Transforming How We Think About Prevention and Early Intervention for Youth and Young Adults

Evaluation of student-perceived growth in entrustable professional activities after involvement in a transitions-of-care process within an adult medicine advanced pharmacy practice experience

Background and purposeInvolvement of pharmacists and trainees in care transitions reduces medication-related problems. Participation in the transitions-of-care (TOC) process may impact self-perceived growth of autonomy within selected entrustable professional activities (EPAs). Educational activity and settingA student-driven TOC documentation process was implemented within an inpatient family medicine advanced pharmacy practice experience. During the month-long rotation, students rounded with an interdisciplinary care team. Responsibilities included ensuring accurate medication reconciliation at care transitions throughout hospitalization and prior to discharge as well as medication optimization during hospitalization. Another responsibility was completing a medication-specific TOC note in the clinic-based electronic health record at discharge for patients receiving primary care from the associated clinic. The note was available to the outpatient interdisciplinary care team during the hospital follow-up appointment. Student-perceived growth in autonomy within selected EPAs was determined through an online anonymous survey. FindingsNinety percent (n = 18) of eligible students completed the survey. For specific EPA statements (collecting information, establishing patient-centered goals and establishing a care plan, implementing a care plan, collaborating as an interdisciplinary team member, and ensuring immunization), student-perceived autonomy increased after involvement in this student-driven TOC process. During the study period, 215 notes were generated by student pharmacists and included interventions/recommendations within the following themes: evidence-based changes in therapy, patient counseling, and medication access. SummaryThe importance of pharmacist and pharmacy trainee involvement in the TOC process has been well-documented. Involving students in student-driven TOC documentation processes serves to facilitate student-perceived growth in autonomy within selected EPAs.

Social Conditionality of Criminal Legal Regulation of Public Relations Related To Robotics and Cyber-Physical Systems

Robotics and cyber-physical systems form an independent layer of social relations characterized by increased social danger. This circumstance predetermines the recognition of certain categories of robots as sources of increased danger. The pace of development of robotics and cyber-physical systems is a consequence of the exponential, almost explosive growth of interest in intelligent systems under the conditions of the 4th Industrial Revolution and the emergence of Industry 4.0., actively supported by the state’s policy of “universal digitalization”. The variety of robots, a high degree of adaptability and growing accessibility for the general population are a prerequisite for the “involvement” of robots in various areas of criminal activity, up to the robots committing individual criminal encroachments on their own. As complex devices with technical, digital and energy components, robotics and cyber-physical systems are subject to processes that can cause harm to various groups of social relations. The introduction of robotics and cyber-physical systems into industry, production and the military sphere is associated with significant risks of causing harm to various objects of criminal law protection. With the growth of autonomy, robotics will steadily expand the spheres where attacks are committed with their participation. In this regard, it is required to develop mechanisms for criminal liability in the event of harm caused by artificial intelligence and robotics systems that have a high degree of autonomy in decision-making. The criteria for requesting criminal law regulation of robotics have been determined. The main reasons for the emergence of criminological risks associated with the design features of robots have been identified. Undoubtedly, the basis for criminal law is the category of social danger, which at the same time ensures the conceptual unity of criminal law norms, while simultaneously being a watershed that delimits them from other branches of law. It is extremely important to determine the boundaries of criminal law regulation, which are formed exclusively by the public danger of certain acts with the use of robotics. Thus, it should be stated that the current level of development of robotics and cyberphysical systems, as well as their involvement in the processes of the life of society, necessitate the creation of effective mechanisms of criminal law regulation.

Factors Underpinning at Least Three Years of Participant Adherence to a Community-Focused Modified Boxing Program

In Australia, a modified form of boxing aimed at maximising participant safety and enjoyment has existed since 2006. Known as Box’Tag, it precludes impacts to the head and neck, in accordance with recommendations of medical and other experts. It also makes use of automated scoring technology. From 2012-2016, a Box’Tag program was run at a Police Community Youth Club (PCYC) in Canberra, Australia, with the first author of this paper as the coach. It rapidly grew to include more than 100 regular participants, which was ten times the number involved in a conventional boxing program that it replaced. During its term, it gradually evolved to increasingly take on characteristics that seemed to be valued by participants. Upon its closure, participants were asked to complete a Program Evaluation Form as part of standard PCYC procedure. Among participants who met this request, there were 38 (18 F, 20 M) who had been involved in the program for at least three years. We subsequently carried out thematic analysis of their written feedback to identify which aspects of the program had attracted them and were primarily responsible for their prolonged participation. Four major themes emerged, covering the program environment, the underlying concept, the timetable and the characteristics and outcomes of the training itself. Specifically, the environment was considered friendly, welcoming and supportive. The concept was seen to have extended beyond a sport program to encompass the establishment of a dynamic community brought together by a common interest. The program timetable was regarded as accommodating and flexible, and the training itself was described as safe, fun and beneficial in multiple respects. Overall, the participants expressed deep affection for the program. Our findings accord with those of other researchers who have sought to discern factors influencing adherence to sport and exercise programs and who now suggest that traditional, highly instructional approaches to the operation of such programs might contribute to participant dropout. Prolonged involvement in the Canberra PCYC Box’Tag program is explicable in terms of self-determination theory, in that the program seems to have provided conditions that supported participant growth in autonomy, competence and relatedness. A strong case exists for replication of these conditions in other settings.

A four-category intervention analysis of EFL teachers’ Scaffolding Roles in Short-Focused Conversations

A new perspective, adapted from John Heron’s classification of counselor-client interactions, is proposed to explore teachers’ Scaffolding Roles (SRs). To provide a solid foundation for such an adaptation, both the theoretical and practical supports were put forward. First, the nature of the counselor’s interventions and the construct of scaffolding were collated in terms of their essential features proposed in the related studies. It was concluded that the essential features of the counselor’s interventions including the integration of emotional, interpersonal, and political competence, moment-to-moment interactions with the ongoing support, goal-directedness, and contingent assistance are comparable, and even compatible with the construct of scaffolding. As a result, the adapted framework was put into practice in the EFL context to provide the statistical support. Applying the framework, 500 Short-Focused Conversations (SFCs) of 30 Iranian EFL teachers were scrutinized according to which four SRs (i.e., prescriptive, informative, confronting and catalytic) have been employed. Later, the possible relationship between the teachers’ choice of SRs and three main factors including their scaffolding practices, the relative degree of support in SFCs, and their qualification were investigated through Kruskal-Wallis H and Chi-Square tests. In sum, via the employment of the quantitative and qualitative analyses, the findings of the study confirmed the sensitivity of the model to the notion of fading, an indispensable stage of scaffolding, as the learners’ growth of autonomy and teachers’ employment of the catalytic role were closely associated.

The Role of Sexual and Gender Identity in Long-Term Psychodynamic Therapy for Comorbid Social Anxiety and Depression in an Adolescent Female

Adolescence is a time of significant change with social, cognitive, and emotional alternations, and growth of autonomy and identity. This is a single clinical case study that uses long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy with an adolescent female diagnosed with comorbid social anxiety and persistent depression. The treatment initially focused on addressing the patient’s self-esteem, perfectionism, and self-criticism. During the treatment it was revealed that the patient’s sexual and gender identity contributed to social anxiety and depressive symptoms, and the therapy conceptualized the role of these identities as contributing to social discomfort which perpetuated her depressive symptoms. Through accepting her budding sexual and gender identity, the patient successfully became more comfortable in social settings which ultimately alleviated her depressive symptoms. This treatment highlights the unique nature of working with an adolescent apart of the sexual and gender minority, and how these identities contributed to her experience of social anxiety and depression.

Formal Verification for Embedded Implementation of Convex Optimization Algorithms

Advanced embedded algorithms are growing in complexity and length, related to the growth in autonomy, which allows systems to plan paths of their own. However, this promise cannot happen without proper attention to the considerably stronger operational constraints that safety-critical applications must meet. This paper discusses the formal verification for optimization algorithms with a particular emphasis on receding-horizon controllers. Following a brief historical overview, a prototype autocoder for embedded convex optimization algorithms will be discussed. Options for encoding code properties and proofs, and their applicability and limitations will be detailed as well.

The Development of Australia’s International Legal Personality

This article considers the concepts of statehood, sovereignty, independence and international legal personality as they applied to Australia in the early years after federation in 1901. It outlines the reasons for, and the process of, federation, and charts the subsequent uneven growth in autonomy in matters of foreign relations granted by the United Kingdom. One of the clearest manifestations of such autonomy is the power to enter into treaties, and the development of this power is therefore described in some detail. The precise international legal status of Australia and the other British Dominions in the early part of the 20th century was a mystery to most legal commentators, both within and outside the British Empire. This uncertainty was compounded by the rapidity of constitutional change within the Empire, particularly in the 1920s, and by Australia’s apparent diffidence to independence. For these reasons, few writers have suggested a specific date on or by which Australia acquired international legal personality. This article argues that regardless of when Australia might have gained full international legal personality, tantamount to independence, it had acquired “almost full” international personality by 1923, sufficient to enable it to act autonomously on the international plane.

Working with Chinese Olympic athletes in their national sport system: From the conceptual to a proposed research–practice integration

In order to reveal the socio-cultural environment’s impact upon Chinese athletes careers, the authors discuss the characteristics of the Chinese sport system (termed the Chinese Whole-Nation system) and within it, the related experiences of two successful Chinese Olympic athletes who developed in this system. From the perspectives of the two Chinese Olympic champions and the academic authors, the Chinese Whole-Nation system is summarised as having the following characteristics: (a) a centralised structure, (b) a medal-orientated, and (c) a semi-closed environment. Within the Chinese Whole-Nation system, elite athletes experience the psychological issues of growth of autonomy, medal-orientation pressure, and career transition crises. Derived from these three issues, the authors propose that in the Chinese national sport context, facilitating the relationships, dialectic thinking cultivation, and balancing the athletes’ and collective interests should be the focus for sport psychology practitioners. In relation to the broader discussion of this national sport system, the scholars then propose research topics and a methodological approach through which to engage in culturally safe research that can augment practice.

The ‘knowledge-based economy’ and the relationship between the economy and society in contemporary capitalism

According to the main theories of the knowledge-based economy (KBE), the recent transformations of capitalism are the origins of a general societal change. Managerial theories consider KBE to be a series of win-win mechanisms that simultaneously favour firms, workers and consumers. The cognitive capitalism theory perceives in the development of cognitive capitalism signs of the formation of a post-capitalist economy. This article discusses the main features of these two theoretical orientations and identifies some core ambivalences in KBE. The relationship between the market and society in KBE is marked by a dialectical process. The former incorporates mechanisms of potential economic valorization generated by informal social relationships. To this end, it must internalize actors, practices and cultures that are partially in conflict with it, given that it must make ever greater attempts to bring the overall process back within the ownership regime. One thus witnesses a reduction of the barriers between firms and society, that can simultaneously engender a more subtle dominance of the former over the latter, or the growth of autonomy, self-organization and peer cooperation among social actors. This second possibility relies entirely upon politics and collective action.

Trajectories of Ethnic-Racial Identity and Autonomy Among Mexican-Origin Adolescent Mothers in the United States.

This study examined trajectories of ethnic-racial identity (ERI) and autonomy development among Mexican-origin adolescent females in the United States (N = 181; M(age) at Wave 1 = 16.80 years, SD = 1.00) as they transitioned through the first 5 years of parenthood. Trajectories of ERI and autonomy also were examined in relation to psychosocial functioning. Unconditional latent growth models indicated significant growth in autonomy, ERI resolution, and ERI affirmation from middle to late adolescence. Conditional latent growth models indicated that autonomy and ERI exploration growth trajectories were positively associated with psychosocial adjustment. Although adolescent mothers are experiencing transitions that are not normative during adolescence, they also engage in normative developmental processes, and their engagement in such processes is linked with better adjustment.

No time to manage? The trade-off between relevant tasks and actual priorities of school leaders in Germany

Purpose – School leadership is considered a central agent in the implementation of “New Governance” concepts which have been introduced in Germany by means of accountability measures, decentralization and a growth of autonomy and competition. With the adjustment of policies, rights and duties of school leaders have changed considerably. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to leadership research by providing descriptive evidence on the relevance of specific areas of leadership activity reported by school principals and their actual priorities in terms of day-to-day workload. In particular, the authors analyze whether individually reported priorities are reflected in the actual distribution of workload in a daily routine. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical analysis uses data collected in the German SHaRP study (“School leaders’ activities between more responsibility and more power”). Based on a sample of 153 school leaders from six German federal states the authors perform regression models ...

Psychophysiological states and special performance of boxers with different styles of fight

Purpose : The style of the fight is one of the important factors that affect the quality of the arts in boxing. Particularly important factor in the modern boxing are the mental processes that are involved in forecasting and analyzing the situation that arises in the ring and are associated with cognitive functions. Purpose - to examine the psychophysiological state and a special performance for skilled boxers with different styles of input match. Material : 22 highly qualification boxer aged 18-23 years were studies. The absolute and the relative strength of serial and single strikes were studied. Definition of special performance and power strokes performed on a special simulator. Recorded the absolute and relative strength of serial and single strikes. Results : The results show that the attacking style of the fight in boxing is accompanied by the presence of a high level of efficiency, reduction of fatigue, anxiety, and depending on the condition of vegetative functions. Showed a reduction in the growth of autonomy and heteronomy in the structure of psycho-physiological state of boxers with the attacking style of the fight, which indicates the presence of compromise and avoidance of external failures. Conclusions : Boxers with attacking style of fight characterized by high values of the left side impact forces and reduce the values of the right direct strike force, compared with boxers protective style of fight.

A comparative Analysis of Teachers’ Scaffolding Practices

Despite a seemingly infinite variety of classifications, there is no generally-accepted instrument for the scrutiny of EFL teachers’ scaffolding practices. This study endeavored to provide a sound model based on which teachers’ SFs (i.e. Scaffolding Functions) and SSs (i.e. Scaffolding Strategies) could be collated. To this end, a mixed approach was employed and earlier models along with teachers’ practices were investigated. The result was a checklist comprising 55 SS items classified into linguistic, cognitive, metacognitive, social, cultural, and affective SFs. To develop a comparative analysis, 90 instruction hours of 30 teachers were recorded and transcribed. Short-Focused Conversations (SFCs) formed the basic unit of analysis according to which teachers’ qualification, high-support and low-support scaffolding, and negotiation type were examined. The findings of the study strongly supported the notion of fading and the timely withdrawing of assistance to enhance learners’ growth of autonomy.

Too Much of a Good Thing? Enhancement and the Burden of Self-Determination

There is a remedy available for many of our ailments: Psychopharmacology promises to alleviate unsatisfying memory, bad moods, and low self-esteem. Bioethicists have long discussed the ethical implications of enhancement interventions. However, they have not considered relevant evidence from psychology and economics. The growth in autonomy in many areas of life is publicized as progress for the individual. However, the broadening of areas at one’s disposal together with the increasing individualization of value systems leads to situations in which the range of options asks too much of the individual. I scrutinize whether increased self-determination and unbound possibilities are really in a person’s best interests. Evidence from psychology and economics challenges the assumption that unlimited autonomy is best in all cases. The responsibility for autonomous self-formation that comes with possibilities provided by neuro-enhancement developments can be a burden. To guarantee quality of life I suggest a balance of beneficence, support, and respect for autonomy.

The Strategic Development of Foreign-Owned Subsidiaries and Direct Employment in Host Locations in the United Kingdom

The authors use international business strategy and regional development literature to inform a set of propositions about the links between direct employment by foreign-owned subsidiaries in the manufacturing sector and the development of embeddedness and autonomy in these subsidiaries. A large-scale survey of French, German, and US manufacturing subsidiaries in the United Kingdom is used to test the importance of embeddedness (host-country sourcing and use of networks) and autonomy (decisionmaking and operational autonomy) for the growth of employment by foreign-owned subsidiaries and the growth of skilled jobs in such subsidiaries. The results indicate that growth of embeddedness and autonomy factors are important, especially for the growth of skilled jobs, but those subsidiaries that have this attribute are a minority of foreign-owned subsidiaries. In the light of these results, the authors argue that policies need to be geared towards developing embeddedness and encouraging the growth of autonomy in subsidiaries that are likely to be regarded as central to the overall objectives of multinational corporations (MNCs). This requires policymakers to be aware of the internationalisation strategies used by MNCs, particularly in the light of the emergence of new, low-cost, countries which can easily provide high-quality but low-cost manufacturing operations. An important conclusion is that simple promotion of networking among firms and supporting agencies, and attempts to improve the local asset pool are unlikely to be effective in most cases.

Work and Recognition

The article deals with the relationship between work and recognition, taking Axel Honneth’s social-philosophical theory of the struggle for recognition as its point of departure. In order to give sociological substance to Honneth’s theory, we turn to three contemporary social theorists - Jean-Pierre Le Goff, Christophe Dejours and Emmanuel Renault. In spite of many differences, their work is united by a critical description of the logic of work and its consequences for individual individuation. These theorists agree that the growth of autonomy, flexibility and mobility has destabilised individual and collective identity formation and has led to an increase in social pathological illnesses such as stress and depression. By juxtaposing these analyses with Honneth’s theory on recognition, we conclude that the contemporary logic of work is unable to provide adequate forms of recognition. Individuals are seemingly caught up in a continual battle for recognition without ever having the possibility of receiving proper respect.

Tiempo y temporalización de la relación salarial. A propósito del tiempo del (post)taylorismo... y de la sociología que lo piensa Time and dynamism of wage relation. About the time of (post)taylorism... and of the sociology that thinks about it

By putting together the current diagnoses of employment and work sociologies we end up with a paradox: more autonomous at work and more heteronomous at the life of work? From this paradox, and following the work sociologies, we attempt, firstly, to report the concept of time —both as a time of social changes and as a time of work activities— underlying the epistemology and the diagnoses of those sociologies in order to, later on, and from the criticism of presentism and the anchorage in the instant where they are, propose a time categorization that, through the analysis of taylorism and its crisis, allows us to grasp both the dynamism of the wage relations and the current transformations in the times of work. Transformations which are only understandable from the established relation between the times of work and the temporality of employment. A relation that, at last, questions the discourses of the growth of autonomy, the participation and the resubjectivism both of the post-modern work and worker.