Methodological Considerations Research Articles

Optimizing Web Surveys in Research: Methodological Considerations and Validity Aspects

Web surveys are a data collection method where surveys or questionnaires are sent over the internet to a sample of respondents, and they can respond to this survey over the World Wide Web. Web surveys have become increasingly prevalent in research due to their convenience, cost-effectiveness, and broad reach. However, ensuring web surveys’ methodological rigor and validity is crucial for generating reliable findings. This paper presents a comprehensive examination of methodological considerations and validity concerns in web surveys, aiming to optimize their effectiveness and enhance the quality of research outcomes. Methodological aspects such as survey design, question formulation, sampling techniques, and data collection procedures are explored, emphasizing the need for best practices and guidelines. A standardized close-ended questionnaire was distributed to researchers conducting web surveys to collect data. A random distribution was used to get a sample size of 200 questionnaires, of which 170 were successfully collected. However, by eliminating the incomplete data, 150 replies were received, indicating a response rate of 85%. In order to achieve this objective, this study employed Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to analyze the data that was collected from participants who utilized web surveys in their research studies. The results revealed that methodological aspects of web surveys significantly enhance reliability and validity, reduce challenges and biases associated with web surveys, and optimize their effectiveness. Furthermore, the results confirmed that reliability and validity and challenges and biases associated with web surveys fully mediate the relationship between methodological aspects of web surveys and the optimization of their effectiveness. Researchers can deliberately improve participant engagement and enhance response rates and data quality by prioritizing methodological concerns and validity. Personalized survey invites, gamification or interactive aspects, smooth mobile compatibility, and well-structured incentives are essential to strengthen participant interest and commitment. Furthermore, the implementation of rigorous data quality protocols, including validation procedures and attention prompts, plays a crucial role in upholding the integrity of the gathered data. Researchers can strategically enhance participant engagement by focusing on methodological considerations and validity to bolster response rates and data quality. Implementing personalized survey invitations, integrating gamification or interactive elements, ensuring seamless mobile compatibility, and offering well-structured incentives collectively foster participant interest and commitment. Additionally, diligent data quality measures, such as validation checks and attention prompts, contribute to the integrity of collected information. By addressing these issues and advancing the understanding of web survey methodologies, researchers can optimize the validity and reliability of their findings, strengthening the overall quality of web survey research.

Empathy, sympathy, and emotion regulation: A meta-analytic review.

Empathy, sympathy, and emotion regulation are core components of social-emotional development. Regulating vicariously induced negative emotions is thought to support feeling empathy and sympathy for others in need, but empirical evidence for such effects is mixed. Moreover, despite the longstanding conceptual distinction between empathy and sympathy, most researchers refer to and measure these constructs interchangeably. This meta-analysis examined associations between emotion regulation and empathy and/or sympathy in childhood and adolescence, as well as potential methodological, study, and sample moderators. Analyses were conducted on 58 studies (75 effect sizes; N = 25,831). There was a significant and positive overall association between emotion regulation and empathy/sympathy (r = .19, p < .001); however, most scales assessing empathy were conflated with other constructs. Accounting for conflation, emotion regulation was related to sympathy (r = .24, p < .001) but not empathy (r = .04, p = .38). Moreover, the association between emotion regulation and empathy/sympathy was not significant when baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and RSA reactivity were examined as proxies of emotion regulation. Results were largely similar across sample characteristics (e.g., age group, sex, and culture). Conceptual implications for differentiating empathy and sympathy are discussed, as well as methodological considerations to maximize the quality and clarity of research on emotion regulation, empathy, and sympathy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Home-based high-intensity interval training for people with Parkinson's: Protocol for the HIIT-Home4Parkinson's randomized, controlled feasibility study.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is feasible and beneficial for some people with Parkinson's (PwP), although adherence to extended programs may be problematic. PwP face barriers to exercise such as lack of time, expense, and difficulty with travel logistics due to motor symptoms. HIIT based in the home setting if practical, could therefore be apposite for PwP by overcoming these barriers. However, until now, no home-based HIIT program for PwP has been developed. Cocreated by PwP, clinicians, and family members, the HIIT-Home4Parkinson's (HH4P) program is an innovative, 12-week home-based HIIT program for PwP. This protocol describes a feasibility study designed to assess the feasibility and safety of the HH4P program, explore outcomes that may be sensitive to change, and inform the implementation of a potential full trial. Using a randomized controlled parallel group design, 24independently mobile people with Parkinson's of mild to moderate disease severity will be randomized 1:1 to either the HH4P program plus usual care, or usual care alone. Both groups will be assessed at baseline, and upon the completion of the program. Outcomes will include feasibility and safety factors such as recruitment, completion, adverse events, and intervention fidelity with qualitative evaluation along with mechanistic, physiological, and clinical outcomes. Results of this study will inform the rationale and methodological considerations for a full trial with long-term follow-up. Ultimately, further establishing the practicality and utility of home-based HIIT could provide an important exercise option for PwP, potentially leading to extended participation and increased health and well-being for this population.

Концепция книговедения М. Н. Куфаева: векторы актуализации в современной науке

The first article of the upcoming series of publications devoted to the genesis and evolution of theoretical book science in Russia examines some aspects of the formation of the St. Petersburg school of bibliological thought in the context of the scientific activity of professor at Leningrad State Institute of Culture M. N. Kufaev. A multidimensional analysis of one of his programs works, «Problems of the Philosophy of the Book» is presented, intertextual connections are established with fundamental works on the history of the book, communication studies, and cultural studies. The author’s interpretation of the Kufaev’s system of the book science is proposed and its key methodological considerations, which are embodied in modern scientific discourse are formulated: the study of the factors of the book process and the life cycle of a book as historical and social phenomena, consideration of communication technologies and their specific material forms as tools that determine the polyphony of cultural practices, development of a set of issues related to the laws of the communication process as a system of dialogic subject-to-subject interrelations.

“Invisible Sportswomen 2.0”—Digging Deeper Into Gender Bias in Sport and Exercise Science Research: Author Gender, Editorial Board Gender, and Research Quality

Objectives: Women are underrepresented as participants in sport and exercise science research, and most of the research is of low quality. To reduce the gender data gap, it is imperative to understand where this bias originates. The purpose of this study was (a) to evaluate the proportion of first and last author, and editorial board gender, and (b) to explore the association between gender and quality of female-specific research methods. Method: Studies exclusively investigating female participants (2014–2021) were extracted from a larger data set and updated through 2022. First author, last author, and editorial board gender were determined (e.g., from gender pronouns on institutional profiles, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate). Where applicable, study methodology was assessed by giving each study a quality score (0–1) based on key methodological considerations. Descriptive statistics were used to describe author and editorial board gender frequencies. Analyses of variance were used to investigate the associations between gender and female-specific methodological quality. Results: Within 438 female-only studies, data revealed a greater proportion of women first authors (55%) and men last authors (62%). There was an association between women authors (first, last, and both) and higher quality score for female-specific methods across all journals (p = .00–.04). The two lowest-ranked journals for quality score demonstrated worse gender parity within their editorial board (0%–12% women). Conclusions: The results from this study show that most female-only studies were senior authored by men. However, studies led by women had higher quality of female-specific methods. Future research is needed to explore gender distribution of senior academics.

The role of economic evaluations in advancing HIV multipurpose prevention technologies in early-stage development.

Product development is a high-risk undertaking, especially so when investments are prioritized for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where markets may be smaller, fragile, and resource-constrained. New HIV prevention technologies, such as the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR) and long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA), are being introduced to these markets with one indication, meeting different needs of groups such as adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and female sex workers (FSWs) in settings with high HIV burden. However, limited supply and demand have made their uptake a challenge. Economic evaluations conducted before Phase III trials can help optimize the potential public health value proposition of products in early-stage research and development (R&D), targeting investments in the development pathway that result in products likely to be available and taken up. Public investors in the HIV prevention pipeline, in particular those focused on innovative presentations such as multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs), can leverage early economic evaluations to understand the intrinsic uncertainty in market characterization. In this perspective piece, we reflect on the role of economic evaluations in early product development and on methodological considerations that are central to these analyses. We also discuss methods, in quantitative and qualitative research that can be deployed in early economic evaluations to address uncertainty, with examples applied to the development of future technologies for HIV prevention and MPTs.

Imaging the Tumor Antioxidant Response with [18F]FSPG PET.

(4S)-4-(3-[18F]Fluoropropyl)-L-glutamic acid ([18F]FSPG) is a flourine-18 labeled glutamate analog that enables the noninvasive in vivo imaging of cellular redox status. [18F]FSPG is transported across the cell membrane by the cystine/glutamate antiporter, system xc-, whose expression is upregulated in multiple cancer types. The requirement of cystine for the biosynthesis of glutathione, a major antioxidant, connects [18F]FSPG tissue retention to the intracellular redox response via system xc- activity. We herein describe the use of [18F]FSPG positron emission tomography (PET) to image the tumor antioxidant response and highlight key methodological considerations.

JYNNEOS™ effectiveness as post-exposure prophylaxis against mpox: Challenges using real-world outbreak data

BackgroundJYNNEOSTM vaccine has been used as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) during a mpox outbreak in New York City (NYC). Data on effectiveness are limited. MethodsEffectiveness of a single dose of JYNNEOSTM vaccine administered subcutaneously ≤ 14 days as PEP for preventing mpox disease was assessed among individuals exposed to case-patients from May 22, 2022–August 24, 2022. Individuals were evaluated for mpox through 21 days post-exposure. An observational study was conducted emulating a sequence of nested “target” randomized trials starting each day after exposure. Results were adjusted for exposure risk and race/ethnicity. Analyses were conducted separately based on last (PEPL) and first (PEPF) exposure date. We evaluated the potential to overestimate PEP effectiveness when using conventional analytic methods due to exposed individuals developing illness before they can obtain PEP (immortal time bias) compared to the target trial. ResultsMedian time from last exposure to symptom onset (incubation period) among cases that did not receive PEPL was 7 days (range 1–16). Time to PEPL receipt was 7 days (range 0–14). Among 549 individuals, adjusted PEPL and PEPF effectiveness was 19 % (95 % Confidence Interval [CI], −54 % to 57 %) and −7% (95 % CI, −144 % to 53 %) using the target trial emulation, respectively, and 78 % (95 % CI, 50 % to 91 %) and 73 % (95 % CI, 31 % to 91 %) using conventional analysis. ConclusionsDetermining PEP effectiveness using real-world data during an outbreak is challenging. Time to PEP in NYC coupled with the observed incubation period resulted in overestimated PEP effectiveness using a conventional method. The target trial emulation, while yielding wide confidence intervals due to small sample size, avoided immortal time bias. While results from these evaluations cannot be used as reliable estimates of PEP effectiveness, we present important methodologic considerations for future evaluations.

What Is Known About Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Among Sport Coaches? A Scoping Review

Mindfulness and self-compassion are two constructs positively related to well-being and mental health outside sport. Within sport, these constructs are emerging in research, yet the extant work has primarily been conducted with athlete samples. The aim of this scoping review was to provide a broad synthesis of the literature on mindfulness and self-compassion among coaches. Fourteen articles were included, 11 of them published 2019–2022. Of the 14 publications, the concepts studied were mindfulness (n = 10), self-compassion (n = 2), and a combination of both (n = 2). The samples were predominantly male coaches (68.7%), and most of the studies targeted coaches at the elite or competitive level. The most common area studied was developing and testing interventions and programs, followed by depicting relationships of mindfulness or self-compassion with desirable outcomes. This review significantly extends the current knowledge by illuminating critical issues in this rapidly moving area of research; the need for conceptual and contextual clarity of mindfulness and self-compassion; methodological considerations, such as measures that may allow reliable comparison across studies; and the need to further explore the potential benefits of mindfulness and self-compassion for coaches for sustainability and performance.

Adult Neurogenesis, Context Encoding, and Pattern Separation: A Pathway for Treating Overgeneralization.

In mammals, the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus is one of two brain regions (with the subventricular zone of the olfactory bulb) that continues to generate new neurons throughout adulthood, a phenomenon known as adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) (Eriksson et al., Nat Med 4:1313-1317, 1998; García-Verdugo et al., J Neurobiol 36:234-248, 1998). The integration of these new neurons into the dentate gyrus (DG) has implications for memory encoding, with unique firing and wiring properties of immature neurons that affect how the hippocampal network encodes and stores attributes of memory. In this chapter, we will describe the process of AHN and properties of adult-born cells as they integrate into the hippocampal circuit and mature. Then, we will discuss some methodological considerations before we review evidence for the role of AHN in two major processes supporting memory that are performed by the DG. First, we will discuss encoding of contextual information for episodic memories and how this is facilitated by AHN. Second, will discuss pattern separation, a major role of the DG that reduces interference for the formation of new memories. Finally, we will review clinical and translational considerations, suggesting that stimulation of AHN may help decrease overgeneralization-a common endophenotype of mood, anxiety, trauma-related, and age-related disorders.

Dancing Like No One is Looking LGBTQ+ Visibility, Equity and Belonging in Digital Automation and Control Systems and Communities

This paper examines the imperative of LGBTQ+ equity, diversity and inclusion within organizations like IFAC. It highlights IFAC’s commitment to integrating D&I principles into its activities and decision making. This paper explores the intersection of LGBTQ+ experiences with automation and control systems, emphasizing ongoing challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals. Methodological considerations for D&I research in LGBTQ+ communities are discussed, advocating for direct engagement and participative qualitative approaches. The paper addresses the marginalization of LGBTQ+ digital culture and the role of AI in perpetuating biases. With this in mind it underscores the need to expand D&I efforts to encompass equity, fostering a sense of belonging for all individuals within organizations and communities. Through these insights, the paper contributes to the ongoing discourse on promoting inclusivity and equity in professional and academic spheres. It also offers methodological guidelines for those conducting scholarly studies including the LGBTQ+ community in an automated world.

Neuroepigenetic Editing.

Epigenetic regulation is intrinsic to basic neurobiological function as well as neurological disease. Regulation of chromatin-modifying enzymes in the brain is critical during both development and adulthood and in response to external stimuli. Biochemical studies are complemented by numerous next-generation sequencing (NGS) studies that quantify global changes in gene expression, chromatin accessibility, histone and DNA modifications in neurons and glial cells. Neuroepigenetic editing tools are essential to distinguish between the mere presence and functional relevance of histone and DNA modifications to gene transcription in the brain and animal behavior. This review discusses current advances in neuroepigenetic editing, highlighting methodological considerations pertinent to neuroscience, such as delivery methods and the spatiotemporal specificity of editing and it demonstrates the enormous potential of epigenetic editing for basic neurobiological research and therapeutic application.

Relevance and use of health policy, health systems and health services research for strengthening rehabilitation in real-life settings: methodological considerations.

Research on health policy, systems, and services (HPSSR) has seen significant growth in recent decades and received increasing attention in the field of rehabilitation. This growth is driven by the imperative to effectively address real-life challenges in complex healthcare settings. A recent resolution on 'Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems' adopted by the World Health Assembly emphasizes the need to support societal health goals related to rehabilitation, particularly to promote high-quality rehabilitation research, including HPSSR. This conceptual paper, discussed with the participants in the 5th Cochrane Rehabilitation Methodological Meeting held in Milan on September 2023, outlines study designs at diverse levels at which HPSSR studies can be conducted: the macro, meso, and micro levels. It categorizes research questions into four types: those framed from the perspective of policies, healthcare delivery organizations or systems, defined patient or provider populations, and important data sources or research methods. Illustrative examples of appropriate methodologies are provided for each type of research question, demonstrating the potential of HPSSR in shaping policies, improving healthcare delivery, and addressing patient and provider perspectives. The paper concludes by discussing the applicability, usefulness, and implementation of HPSSR findings, and the importance of knowledge translation strategies, drawing insights from implementation science. The goal is to facilitate the integration of research findings into everyday clinical practice to bridge the gap between research and practice in rehabilitation.

Butterflies Species Richness and Diversity in Panti Forest Eco-Park, Johor, Malaysia

This study thoroughly examines butterfly diversity in the Panti Forest Eco-Park, Johor, Malaysia. Data collected from November 2017 to July 2018 involved the use of aerial nets and baited traps along a 1 km transect, resulting in 207 individuals of 75 species. The Nymphalidae family was most prevalent, representing 152 individuals across 49 species. The rank abundance curve highlighted Iambrix stellifer and Lexias pardalis dirteana as the most abundant species. Notably, 37 species were solitary occurrences, making up 49.3% of the entire sample. Several singleton species were identified, including Dichorragia nesimachus deiokes (Nymphalidae), Danaus melanippus hegesippus (Nymphalidae), Gandaca harina distanti (Pieridae), and Eooxylides tharis distanti (Lycaenidae). The calculated Hʹ Index of 4.004 and EH value of 0.9218 indicate high butterfly diversity, positioning the Panti Forest Eco-Park as one of Johor's most diverse locations. Variations in dominant families compared to earlier works may be due to sampling methods. Additionally, the attraction of Lexias pardalis dirteana to baited traps emphasizes the importance of methodological considerations in butterfly diversity assessments. Furthermore, compared to prior research, a lower species count was observed, attributed to the exclusion of the bunker trail as a sampling site.

Regression discontinuity design for the study of health effects of exposures acting early in life.

Regression discontinuity design (RDD) is a quasi-experimental approach to study the causal effect of an exposure on later outcomes by exploiting the discontinuity in the exposure probability at an assignment variable cut-off. With the intent of facilitating the use of RDD in the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) research, we describe the main aspects of the study design and review the studies, assignment variables and exposures that have been investigated to identify short- and long-term health effects of early life exposures. We also provide a brief overview of some of the methodological considerations for the RDD identification using an example of a DOHaD study. An increasing number of studies investigating the effects of early life environmental stressors on health outcomes use RDD, mostly in the context of education, social and welfare policies, healthcare organization and insurance, and clinical management. Age and calendar time are the mostly used assignment variables to study the effects of various early life policies and programs, shock events and guidelines. Maternal and newborn characteristics, such as age, birth weight and gestational age are frequently used assignment variables to study the effects of the type of neonatal care, health insurance, and newborn benefits, while socioeconomic measures have been used to study the effects of social and welfare programs. RDD has advantages, including intuitive interpretation, and transparent and simple graphical representation. It provides valid causal estimates if the assumptions, relatively weak compared to other non-experimental study designs, are met. Its use to study health effects of exposures acting early in life has been limited to studies based on registries and administrative databases, while birth cohort data has not been exploited so far using this design. Local causal effect around the cut-off, difficulty in reaching high statistical power compared to other study designs, and the rarity of settings outside of policy and program evaluations hamper the widespread use of RDD in the DOHaD research. Still, the assignment variables' cut-offs for exposures applied in previous studies can be used, if appropriate, in other settings and with additional outcomes to address different research questions.

Advancing Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring With Human Reflexes.

Human reflexes are simple motor responses that are automatically elicited by various sensory inputs. These reflexes can provide valuable insights into the functioning of the nervous system, particularly the brainstem and spinal cord. Reflexes involving the brainstem, such as the blink reflex, laryngeal adductor reflex, trigeminal hypoglossal reflex, and masseter H reflex, offer immediate information about the cranial-nerve functionality and the overall state of the brainstem. Similarly, spinal reflexes such as the H reflex of the soleus muscle, posterior root muscle reflexes, and sacral reflexes provide crucial information about the functionality of the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. One of the critical benefits of reflex monitoring is that it can provide continuous feedback without disrupting the surgical process due to no movement being induced in the surgical field. These reflexes can be monitored in real time during surgical procedures to assess the integrity of the nervous system and detect potential neurological damage. It is particularly noteworthy that the reflexes provide motor and sensory information on the functional integrity of nerve fibers and nuclei. This article describes the current techniques used for monitoring various human reflexes and their clinical significance in surgery. We also address important methodological considerations and their impact on surgical safety and patient outcomes. Utilizing these methodologies has the potential to advance or even revolutionize the field of intraoperative continuous monitoring, ultimately leading to improved surgical outcomes and enhanced patient care.

Identity of a Thinker, or Rereading Böhme and Heidegger on Dwelling (Wohnen) for Environmental Ethics

The paper re-examines the work of Jakob Böhme (1575–1624) through the lens of environmental ethics. Specifically, it delves into the concept of dwelling (wohnen) as articulated in Six Theosophic Points (1620), The Six Mystical Points (1620), and On the Early and Heavenly Mystery (1620). To illuminate the significance of this concept for environmental ethics, the paper will juxtapose it with Martin Heidegger’s idea of dwelling. This comparative approach not only sheds light on the environmental-ethical implications, but also allows for a broader exploration of methodological considerations inherent in such a scholarly endeavor. The paper raises questions about the potential constraints in reinterpreting the intellectual legacy of past thinkers, that is, their identity over the course of the history of philosophy.

Going Beyond Adaptation: An Integrative Review and Ethical Considerations of Semi-Structured Interviews With Elementary-Aged Children

There are currently no methodological frameworks available to conduct semi-structured interviews in the education and social sciences fields with children of primary school age, between 6–12, having no history of trauma or disabilities. To fill this gap, we conducted an integrative review of the literature to uncover current methodological considerations using the PRISMA procedure to search the ERIC, SAGE, ProQuest CBCA, SciELO and Redined databases. 19 methodological articles across multiple disciplines were retrieved and analyzed through inductive content analysis. We found that using traditional semi-structured interviews with children brings inherent challenges and that adaptation of current methods is not sufficient. A preliminary set of interviewing guidelines emphasizing a flexible and laissez-faire approach as well as a list of alternatives to the semi-structured interview for elementary-aged children are proposed, laying the foundations for a much-needed overhaul of current interviewing methods.

Challenges of nursing research with immigrant and refugee populations: methodological and pragmatic considerations

RESUMO O objetivo do estudo foi identificar os principais desafios na condução de pesquisas com imigrantes e refugiados e fornecer sete estratégias metodológicas e pragmáticas. As análises apresentadas, embasadas na Teoria da Diversidade e Universalidade do Cuidado Cultural, são extraídas de insights das experiências dos autores enquanto pesquisadores e da literatura. Os principais desafios relacionam-se a diferenças culturais, morais, políticas e educacionais entre pesquisador e pesquisado; identificação do universo e amostragem; acesso aos informantes pela barreira da desconfiança; e dificuldade de comunicação e idioma. As estratégias para tornar a pesquisa mais exitosa envolvem: desenvolver um minucioso protocolo de pesquisa; recrutar participantes de forma criativa; elaborar estratégias para facilitar a comunicação; ter olhar sensível; oferecer uma estrutura de reciprocidade; ampliar a confiança e triangular a pesquisa. Foram exploradas as principais questões metodológicas e pragmáticas nos estudos com imigrantes e refugiados, fornecendo orientações valiosas para projetos futuros. Entretanto, em diferentes situações de migração, os pesquisadores devem atentar-se para a possibilidade de surgirem outros desafios durante o processo investigativo.

Challenges of nursing research with immigrant and refugee populations: methodological and pragmatic considerations.

The objective of the study was to identify the main challenges in conducting research with immigrants and refugees and to provide seven methodological and pragmatic strategies. The analyses presented, based on the Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality, are extracted from insights of the authors' experiences as researchers and the literature. The main challenges are related to cultural, moral, political, and educational differences between researcher and researched; identification of the universe and sampling; access to informants through the barrier of distrust; and communication and language difficulties. Strategies to make research more successful involve: developing a thorough research protocol; creatively recruiting participants; developing strategies to facilitate communication; having a sensitive look; offering a structure of reciprocity; increasing trust, and triangulating research. The main methodological and pragmatic issues in studies with immigrants and refugees were explored, providing valuable guidance for future projects. However, in different migration situations, researchers must be aware of the possibility of other challenges arising during the investigative process.