Practical Reasons Research Articles

Influencers as role models

ABSTRACT The claim that celebrities have special duties to be good role models is prominent in the philosophical literature on fame. We investigate whether these arguments can be extended to social media influencers. According to the role model argument, the fact that celebrities are widely known and admired gives them a high degree of influence over others’ behaviours. This gives them strong moral reasons to act as a good example to others. While celebrities have a right to privacy, this is forfeited when they choose to open their private lives to the public or present themselves as role models. Influencers seem to be paradigmatic examples of celebrities who have strong duties to be good role models; they are the focus of high levels of attention and admiration, and offer their private lives for public consumption. However, we argue that influencers do not have stronger duties to be a role model in comparison to traditional celebrities. Influencers generally do not present genuine versions of their private lives to the public, but rather curated public personas. Influencers should be entitled to the same privacy protections as other celebrities, provided they are transparent about the accuracy of what they represent as their private life.

The nature of human practices and the importance of practical reason: why law cannot be a moral practice only

ABSTRACT I will advance two criticisms and one comment to Hershovitz's Law is a Moral Practice. First, I will argue that the idea that law is a moral practice because it rearranges our moral relationships tends to be circular, unless a conception of practical reason connected to morality and human practices are advanced. Second, I will problematise the predominance of a backward-looking legal reasoning that focuses on rights and wrongs only. Finally, I will explore Bernard Williams diagnosis regarding ‘the problem of the morality system’ and scrutinise how his reflections might have implications for the key premises advanced by Hershovitz. I demonstrate that any explanation of law as moral practice needs to explain the role of our engagement with the law as the kind of creatures we are, i.e. rational creatures. This means that any account of the relationship between law and morality that does not explain the character of practical reason and how it engages with the law is deficient and unsatisfactory. Hershovitz is eager to show that law cannot be neutral and he tells us that it is instead a moral practice that deals with rights and wrongs in a robust manner. However, his account cannot explain to us how the judge and legislator make this possible through the law. Therefore, within this conception, there is no mediation or bridge between law and moral practice qua rational (and not qua practice). Hershovitz seems to discard the ancient philosophical platitude, namely that we cannot understand and engage with right and wrong, good or bad, except through the mediation of reason.

A patient`s trajectory with autism spectrum disorder leading to forensic psychiatric institutionalisation

IntroductionAutism-spectrum-disorder (ASD) is a heterogenous neurodevelopmental condition with a wide range of symptoms. Typical deficits, such as impairment in social communication and interactions, can lead to violent behaviours. However, ASD is often underdiagnosed and little is known about patients with ASD in forensic institutions.ObjectivesTo highlight the diagnostic challenges and offending behaviour of people with ASD in the context of the criminal justice system (CJS) through a case report.MethodsThe case report is based on exploration, third party anamnesis, medical documentations and court filesResults A 25-year-old man was placed in detention in 2021 after having committed a dangerous threat to unknown persons and was considered not guilty by reason of insanity. Since early childhood the patient presented with extreme mood swings and impulsive-aggressive outbursts that led to criminal mischief later on. During elementary school he developed concentration problems as well as specific learning deficits. Due to his deviant social behaviour, he was rejected from his peer group. Over the course of the years, he showed no significant responses to different psychopharmacological treatment approaches. His social anxiety grew and ultimately, he started experimenting with various drugs and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, which induced multiple psychotic episodes. Due to the psychotic exacerbations, he was repeatedly admitted to psychiatric units for acute treatment, however the autistic disorder remained untreated. At the time of the crime an independent psychiatric assessor diagnosed schizophrenia simplex and multiple drug abuse. The patient had been in psychiatric treatment since the age of 5 and received multiple diagnoses such as combined personality disorder, different subtypes of schizophrenia, ADHD, Tourette syndrome, depressive disorder and ASD at the age of 14. Nevertheless, prior to his detention he had never received a complex therapy focusing on his ASD. According to the verdict he was admitted to a medium secure forensic ward in Lower Austria, where he was treated with antipsychotic and anxiolytic medication. Furthermore, he participated in the day-structuring treatment program ensuring routine.Conclusions Neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD often impose a diagnostic challenge, particularly without intellectual disability. This can lead to under- and misdiagnosis, inadequate treatment or even criminal behaviour. Impaired theory of mind, poor emotional regulation and problems with moral reasoning should be recognized and treated specifically early on to prevent further damage to both the individual and society.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Justifying Self-Partiality

The role that the first-person perspective is allowed to play in moral reasoning is a major source of contemporary debate between partialists and impartialists. The discussion usually revolves around the question of partiality’s justification when it is intended to benefit our loved ones. Surprisingly, the issue of partiality to oneself is rarely addressed directly and its link with egoism is left unexplored. This is a gap that this paper attempts to fill by focusing on some of the difficulties raised by the idea of justified partiality to oneself.

Conducting Socio-Legal Research in a Conflict Area during a Pandemic: Reflections and Lessons for Future Researchers

AbstractA “sink or swim” approach has been considered the only way to learn how to conduct empirical research; this should not be the case. Empirical research can be challenging for methodological, practical and ethical reasons; thus there should be detailed and systematic reporting on the methodology adopted. The absence of studies documenting the experiences of researching law implies that important lessons gained by one cohort are not readily accessible in a systematic way for the next. This article presents the methodology of research that was conducted in a conflict area in Nigeria during the pandemic; it aims to provide detailed reporting on the research and highlight the challenges. It offers lessons to future researchers undertaking socio-legal research in a conflict zone, during a pandemic or both. It contributes to the body of knowledge that presents not just what is being done in legal research but how, in order to develop “robust and cumulative scholarly traditions”.

Reframing the wicked problem of pre-harvest burning: A case study of Thailand's sugarcane

Pre-harvest sugarcane burning persists in many countries though there are policies prohibiting the practice. As problems related to sugarcane harvesting are complex, a thorough understanding of the problems for policy formulation is required. The objective of this study was to reanalyze or reframe problems of sugarcane harvesting and pre-harvest sugarcane burning. Concepts of wicked problems, practical reasoning and policy reframing were applied. The study used a participatory modeling approach to illustrate the case of Thailand. Wickedness was shown by complexity and uncertainties of factors intertwining with values related to adoption of harvesting methods; green mechanical, green manual and burnt manual. As timeliness of harvest was the top priority, the burnt method was considered more efficient. It was easier, faster, cheaper and more suitable under unfavorable circumstances for the green methods. The policy to reduce burnt-harvested sugarcane was not so effective and also led to the undesired ‘green but unclean’ method. To frame harvesting problems based on emissions of fine particulates (PM2.5) from sugarcane burning was not a good choice. Incomplete problem sense-making and poor problem frame were indicated. Most farmers were unable to associate sugarcane burning with environmental problems of PM2.5 (and also global warming/climate change) and livelihood impacts. Nevertheless, a larger concern over climate variations was perceived by a majority of farmers. Farmers who adapted relied primarily on green harvesting and the use of residues as trash blankets. Through policy reframing, inefficient green harvesting was seen as a better frame. The new frame enabled farmers linking agricultural practices to sustainability of environment, productivity and livelihoods in the context of climate change. Using participatory modeling for reframing policy problems in general and wicked problems in particular was shown to be powerful and contributing to originality.

A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness and Safety of Prephase Steroid Treatment before Remission Induction Chemotherapy in Patients with Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Using Common Data Model-Based Real-World Data: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Rapid reduction of leukemic cells in the bone marrow during remission induction chemotherapy (RIC) can lead to significant complications such as tumor lysis syndrome (TLS). We investigated whether prephase steroid treatment before RIC could decrease TLS incidence and improve overall survival in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Data were extracted from the Common Data Model databases in two tertiary-care hospitals in Seoul, South Korea. Patients were classified into the treated or untreated group if they had received RIC with prephase steroid treatment ≥7 days before RIC in 2012-2021 or not, respectively. Stabilized Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (sIPTW) was applied to ensure compatibility between the treated and untreated groups. The incidence of TLS within 14 days of starting RIC, overall survival (OS), and the incidence of adverse events of special interest were the primary endpoints. Multiple sensitivity analyses were performed. Baseline characteristics were effectively balanced between the treated (n=308.4) and untreated (n=246.6) groups after sIPTW. Prephase steroid treatment was associated with a significant 88% reduction in the risk of TLS (OR 0.12, 95% CI: 0.03-0.41). OS was numerically greater in the treated group than in the untreated group although the difference was not statistically significant (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.25-1.64). The treated group experienced significantly elevated risks for hyperbilirubinemia and hyperglycemia. The reduction in TLS risk by prephase steroid treatment was maintained in all of the sensitivity analyses. Prephase steroid treatment for ≥7 days before RIC in pediatric patients with ALL reduces the risk of TLS, while careful monitoring for toxicities is necessary. If adequately analyzed, real-world data can provide crucial effectiveness and safety information for proper management of pediatric patients with ALL, for whom prospective randomized studies may be difficult to perform for ethical and practical reasons.

Perfect Freedom: T. H. Green's Kantian Conception

abstract: This essay explores different conceptions of freedom in Kant, Green, and their critics. Kant introduces three kinds of freedom—negative freedom, positive freedom or autonomy, and transcendental freedom. Sidgwick objects that Kant's conception of positive freedom is unable to explain how someone might be free and responsible for the wrong choices. Though Green rejects transcendental freedom, he thinks Kant's conception of practical freedom can be defended by identifying it with the capacity to be determined by practical reason. Green identifies his own tripartite conception of freedom—juridical freedom, moral freedom, and real freedom. He thinks that these are stages in the perfection of freedom. Green's tripartite conception provides a principled reply to Berlin's doubts about positive freedom, explains Kant's claims that respect and esteem are fitting attitudes toward different aspects of freedom, and supports Schiller's criticisms of Kantian freedom and virtue. Green's conception of freedom defends the best elements of the Kantian perspective while addressing legitimate worries. In doing so, it unifies different aspects of freedom in a way that is grounded in moral personality or rational nature.

Sources of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variability and clinical pharmacology studies of antiseizure medications in the pediatric population.

Multiple treatment options exist for children with epilepsy, including surgery, dietary therapies, neurostimulation, and antiseizure medications (ASMs). ASMs are the first line of therapy, and more than 30 ASMs have U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of various epilepsy and seizure types in children. Given the extensive FDA approval of ASMs in children, it is crucial to consider how the physiological and developmental changes throughout childhood may impact drug disposition. Various sources of pharmacokinetic (PK) variability from different extrinsic and intrinsic factors such as patients' size, age, drug-drug interactions, and drug formulation could result in suboptimal dosing of ASMs. Barriers exist to conducting clinical pharmacological studies in neonates, infants, and children due to ethical and practical reasons, limiting available data to fully characterize these drugs' disposition and better elucidate sources of PK variability. Modeling and simulation offer ways to circumvent traditional and intensive clinical pharmacology methods to address gaps in epilepsy and seizure management in children. This review discusses various physiological and developmental changes that influence the PK and pharmacodynamic (PD) variability of ASMs in children, and several key ASMs will be discussed in detail. We will also review novel trial designs in younger pediatric populations, highlight the role of extrapolation of efficacy in epilepsy, and the use of physiologically based PK modeling as a tool to investigate sources of PK/PD variability in children. Finally, we will conclude with current challenges and future directions for optimizing the efficacy and safety of these drugs across the pediatric age spectrum.

Reproduction in cisgender same-sex couples: a scoping review.

The aim of this article is to present the state of the art, in the field of public health, on cis homoparental reproduction, from 28 studies addressing barriers to reproduction by homoparental couples for legal, ethical, technical or economic reasons, in addition to prejudice and discrimination. Six studies addressed facilitators, such as receptiveness in services, availability of conception and contraceptive methods and training of health professionals. The results show that the discussion has focused more on the barriers than on the facilitating factors. This may indicate a continuing need to problematise the hegemonic model of a heterosexual, nuclear family.

Geographical variation in compulsory mental health care: cause for concern and source of causal inference

IntroductionCompulsory mental health care remains a controversial practice. The many difficulties in performing Randomised Controlled Trials (RCT) on the topic means there is limited evidence to support its effectiveness. For ethical and legal reasons, compulsory mental health care should only be used when necessary. Yet, geographical variations, which can indicate both overuse and underuse, have been observed. In the funded research project “Controversies in Psychiatry” we intend to use this variation as a source of knowledge production. We propose that this naturally occurring variation mimics randomisation, and can therefore permit causal inference from registry data.ObjectivesWe will estimate the causal effect of compulsory inpatient mental health care on a range of outcomes, including injuries, self-harm, and all-cause mortality; violent crime; employment vs benefit allowance; rehospitalisation and outpatient commitment.MethodsObserved variation in register data on all episodes of compulsory inpatient mental health care in Norway between 2015-2016 (N ≈ 300 000), will serve as a source of as-random variation. Provider-preference for compulsion usage will be used as an instrumental variable (IV).ResultsOutcomes will be observed from 2017-2025. If assumptions underlying IV-analysis do not hold, the project will still provide important and complete descriptive data on long-term outcomes for a whole population.ConclusionsGeographical variation is a cause for concern if people are treated differently depending on area of residence. But it also presents an opportunity to use differences in service provider’s preference for using compulsory care as an instrumental variable to estimate the causal effect of compulsory care on multiple short and long-term outcomes. This approach can help resolve controversies that are difficult or even impossible to investigate through RCTs. After presenting the project plan we invite to a discussion of the feasibility of using an instrument variable approach to explore if relatively low versus high rates of compulsory care produce favorable outcomes for patients.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

104 Perceived Barriers to the Recruitment and Retention of Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Groups (URGs) in Clinical Research

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: The inclusion of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups (URGs) in clinical research is critical for ethical and scientific reasons. This initiative aimed to assess the perspectives, barriers, needs, and recommendations encountered by research teams when enrolling and retaining URGs in clinical research. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: An anonymous, web-based survey comprised of quantitative and qualitative questions was administered to individuals involved in clinical research at an academic medical center. The survey assessed three main domains: 1. Research teams' perceptions and experiences with enrolling URGs in clinical research, 2. Factors that discourage URGs from participating in clinical research, and 3. Research teams’ overall willingness to support URG enrollment. Demographics were also collected. The survey was reviewed by experts in clinical research, research ethics, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). The assessment was piloted among research professionals and edits were made accordingly prior to official dissemination. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: There was a total of 63 responses. A majority of respondents have more success enrolling patients whose primary language is the same as their own and that time arranging for an interpreter has negatively impacted enrollment efforts. Approximately half of the respondents believe that the race and/or ethnicity of the potential study participant influences enrollment success. Factors discouraging URGs from participating in clinical research include unavailability for follow-up visits due to transportation issues, distrust in doctors and/or researchers, fear of unknown side effects, and unavailability of medical interpreters. Respondents report that they are not discouraged from enrolling URGs and would utilize resources related to encouraging the inclusion of URGs DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Language appears more influential than ethnicity or race when it comes to enrolling and retaining URGs. Additionally, it appears that enrolling is a bigger challenge than retaining. Major themes that emerge with respect to retaining enrolled participants include the inability to attend follow-up visits and the lack of incentives/compensation.

Bio-QSARs 2.0: Unlocking a new level of predictive power for machine learning-based ecotoxicity predictions by exploiting chemical and biological information

Practical, legal, and ethical reasons necessitate the development of methods to replace animal experiments. Computational techniques to acquire information that traditionally relied on animal testing are considered a crucial pillar among these so-called new approach methodologies. In this light, we recently introduced the Bio-QSAR concept for multispecies aquatic toxicity regression tasks. These machine learning models, trained on both chemical and biological information, are capable of both cross-chemical and cross-species predictions. Here, we significantly extend these models’ applicability. This was realized by increasing the quantity of training data by a factor of approximately 20, accomplished by considering both additional chemicals and aquatic organisms. Additionally, variable test durations and associated random effects were accommodated by employing a machine learning algorithm that combines tree-boosting with mixed-effects modeling (i.e., Gaussian Process Boosting). We also explored various biological descriptors including Dynamic Energy Budget model parameters, taxonomic distances, as well as genus-specific traits and investigated the inclusion of mode-of-action information. Through these efforts, we developed Bio-QSARs for fish and aquatic invertebrates with exceptional predictive power (R squared of up to 0.92 on independent test sets). Moreover, we made considerable strides to make models applicable for a range of use cases in environmental risk assessment as well as research and development of chemicals. Models were made fully explainable by implementing an algorithmic multicollinearity correction combined with SHapley Additive exPlanations. Furthermore, we devised novel approaches for applicability domain construction that take feature importance into account. We are hence confident these models, which are available via open access, will make a significant contribution towards the implementation of new approach methodologies and ultimately have the potential to support “Green Chemistry” and “Green Toxicology”.

Variations in thyroid hormone levels in endangered St. Lawrence Estuary belugas: Potential linkage with stress and organohalogen contaminant exposure

The St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population is highly exposed to an array of contaminants that were identified as one of the causes to the non-recovery of this endangered and declining population. In the last decade, an increasing number of parturition-associated complications and calf mortality has been reported in this population. It was suggested that elevated exposure to organohalogens (e.g., the halogenated flame retardants polybrominated diphenyl ethers [PBDEs]) and stress could play a role in this phenomenon by perturbing thyroid hormones. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of concentrations of organohalogen contaminants and stress (cortisol levels) on thyroid hormone variations in adult male and female SLE belugas. Because plasma could not be collected in SLE belugas for ethical reasons, skin biopsy (n = 40) was used as a less-invasive alternative matrix to determine organohalogens (PBDEs and other halogenated flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine pesticides), cortisol, and thyroid hormones (triiodothyronine [T3] and thyroxine [T4]), and their metabolites reverse T3 and 3,5-diiodothyronine [3,5-T2]). Cortisol and thyroid hormones were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-multiple reactions monitoring mass spectrometry (UPLC-MRM/MS). This method was compared using skin and plasma samples obtained from Arctic belugas. Comparisons of linear models showed that cortisol was a weak predictor for T4, rT3 and 3,5-T2. Specifically, there was a weak significant negative association between T4 and cortisol levels. Moreover, in male SLE belugas, a weak significant positive association was found between T3 and Σ34PBDE concentrations in skin. Our findings suggest that stress (i.e., elevated skin cortisol levels) along with organohalogen exposure (mainly PBDEs) may be associated with thyroid hormone level perturbations in skin of cetaceans.

You Are What You Eat . . . and What You Take Orally, Intravenously, or Topically.

This brief suggests a few ethical reasons to interrogate our bioproduct supply chains as we have begun interrogating our food chains.

Review of Poultry Monitoring using Computer Vision

Poultry farming is an important unit in global agronomy, contributing immensely to the production of meat and eggs. Safeguarding the health and welfare of poultry is vital for ethical and financial reasons. In recent years, computer vision awareness has gained prominence as a powerful tool for poultry monitoring. This review paper provides an outline of the application of computer vision in poultry monitoring. We explore the different phases of this technology, with real-time image acquisition, object recognition, and behavior analysis. By connecting cameras and sophisticated algorithms, a computer vision system can distinguish unusual behavior, track poultry activities and observe its environmental conditions. Furthermore, this study discovers the benefits of computer vision in poultry farming, including early detection of disease, better production efficiency and improved animal welfare. In conclusion, the application of computer vision in monitoring poultry holds immense potential for the industry; by providing a corridor to a more sustainable and ethical poultry farming system with increased productivity. This paper equally discusses recent developments, challenges, forthcoming prospects in the field and academic research gaps identified.

Celebrity endorser scandal: a literature review and future research agenda

PurposeIn recent years, negative spokesperson incidents have raised significant concerns in academia and industry. While several studies have addressed celebrity endorser scandals, comprehensive analyses of current knowledge are lacking. Therefore, this study systematically reviewed the related literature to better understand trends and suggest future research directions for advancing this field.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs the theory–context–characteristics–methodology (TCCM) framework to examine 76 articles on celebrity endorser scandals.FindingsUtilizing the TCCM framework, this study presents a comprehensive research framework, revealing that (1) the celebrity endorser scandal effect primarily includes associative learning, attribution of responsibility, and moral reasoning; (2) entertainment celebrities and athletes have received significant research attention; (3) both individual- and relationship-level characteristics serve as crucial moderators, with focal brand and related brand being the primary outcome variables. Additionally, this study outlines enterprise response strategies, encompassing the reformation of existing spokesperson relationships and the establishment of future spokesperson connections; and (4) quantitative approaches dominate the field.Originality/valueThis study integrates and expands existing research on celebrity endorser scandals while proposing future research opportunities to advance the field.

Sequential covariate-adjusted randomization via hierarchically minimizing Mahalanobis distance and marginal imbalance.

In comparative studies, covariate balance and sequential allocation schemes have attracted growing academic interest. Although many theoretically justified adaptive randomization methods achieve the covariate balance, they often allocate patients in pairs or groups. To better meet the practical requirements where the clinicians cannot wait for other participants to assign the current patient for some economic or ethical reasons, we propose a method that randomizes patients individually and sequentially. The proposed method conceptually separates the covariate imbalance, measured by the newly proposed modified Mahalanobis distance, and the marginal imbalance, that is the sample size difference between the 2 groups, and it minimizes them with an explicit priority order. Compared with the existing sequential randomization methods, the proposed method achieves the best possible covariate balance while maintaining the marginal balance directly, offering us more control of the randomization process. We demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method through a wide range of simulation studies and real data analysis, and also establish theoretical guarantees for the proposed method in terms of both the convergence of the imbalance measure and the subsequent treatment effect estimation.

Consumers’ perceptions of healthiness and environmental friendliness of plant-based and dairy product concepts

The call to replace animal food products with plant-based products is increasing, mainly for environmental, ethical, and health reasons. To develop plant-based alternatives that will be accepted and consumed, it is important to understand how consumers perceive them. Many studies have examined consumers’ perceptions of meat and meat alternatives, and some have investigated how these perceptions differ from objective evaluations. However, few studies have addressed consumers’ perceptions of dairy products and plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDA). Therefore, this study investigated how Swiss consumers perceived commercially available dairy and PBDA product concepts in terms of their healthiness and environmental friendliness and whether their perceptions were consistent with objective evaluations (life-cycle assessment (LCA) and nutrient profiling) of the real products. In an online survey, 518 participants rated 7 dairy and 9 PBDA product concepts, including milk, cheese, and yogurt, as well as their plant-based alternatives. The results suggest that consumers overestimate the healthiness and environmental friendliness of dairy, especially hard cheese, while underestimating those of PBDA, especially soy, in contrast to LCA and nutrient profiling scores. PBDA are also not perceived as automatically healthier or environmentally friendlier just because they are milk-free. Even though PBDA are niche products and consumers seem skeptical of new products that replace traditional ones, their potential for widespread adoption might increase in the future depending on consumers healthiness and environmental friendliness perceptions thereof.

How Can Social Understanding in Adolescence Be Enhanced? Observations Based on Short-Term Conversation-Based Training

Adolescence is a developmental period characterized by significant changes and intensified social interactions. The role of parents decreases and the importance of peer groups increases. Peers, especially friends, may deliver instrumental aid and emotional support; they may also promote a sense of security and be a significant source of affection and intimacy. Additionally, peer relations provide a testing ground for exercising many competencies necessary in complex social situations, such as social problem-solving, conflict resolution, and negotiation. The intensified contact with peers may also enhance adolescents’ social understanding skills. Therefore, practicing social understanding skills within a peer group may enhance one’s social functioning in adolescence. For these practical and educational reasons, we aimed to confirm the effectiveness of conversation-based training in these skills and identify what factors potentially support or hinder its effectiveness. Social understanding, the ability to understand oneself and others in various social situations, develops in childhood and adolescence. As this ability impacts satisfactory social functioning in adolescence and develops in a social context, a training process was proposed with the aim of enhancing the development of this ability based on the social-constructivist approach to social understanding. The efficacy of the training to enhance the understanding of one’s own and others’ mental states was verified using a sample of 65 Polish adolescents (mean age: 14.6 years). They participated in nine one-hour sessions and were divided into an experimental group (social understanding, n = 26) and two control groups: attention/perception (n = 17) and film/text literacy (n = 22). Although no direct effect of the theory of mind training was found, the results provided important observations for further work on adolescent social understanding training programs.