Opportunities For Social Engagement Research Articles

Vida Sana: a lifestyle intervention for uninsured, predominantly Spanish-speaking immigrants improves metabolic syndrome indicators.

Metabolic syndrome is an increasingly common condition that can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 35% of adults living in the United States meet the criteria for having metabolic syndrome, with that number being even higher in populations with health disparities. We describe a 'healthy lifestyles' program implemented at a free clinic serving a predominantly Hispanic cohort of low-income, uninsured individuals living in Providence, Rhode Island. The "Vida Sana/Healthy Life" (Vida Sana) program uses low literacy, language-appropriate materials and trained peers to educate participants about healthy lifestyles in a setting that also provided opportunities for social engagement. 192 of 126 (65.6%) participants in Vida Sana completed 6 out of 8 sessions of the Vida Sana program over a 12-month period. At the completion of the program, nearly 90% of Vida Sana participants showed an increase in their health literacy, and at least 60% of participants decreased each of the risk factors (blood sugar, cholesterol, body mass index or waist circumference) associated with metabolic syndrome.

Social engagement, setting and alcohol use among a sample of older Australians.

The harms associated with risky alcohol consumption have long been researched and recognised in the health field. However, little available research has focused on older people or extended analysis of alcohol use by this segment of the population beyond a biomedical perspective. With the rapid ageing of the global population, research that investigates alcohol use among older people from a social perspective is important. This article reports on research with a group of older women and men, to identify and explain factors that influence alcohol consumption. In-depth interviews were conducted in Perth, Western Australia with 20 men and 22 women aged 65-74years who were living in either private residences or retirement villages. The study findings indicated that alcohol use was linked with social engagement in activities across both settings, and that moderate alcohol use appeared to serve an important function as a 'social lubricant'. The major facilitating factors for alcohol use included the frequency of opportunities for social engagement and access to a ready-made social group in retirement villages. The major constraining factor across both settings was driving. Interestingly, health was not viewed as a major facilitating or constraining factor for alcohol consumption. Conclusions from the research were that alcohol serves an important role in enhancing social engagement, and there appear to be important associations between residential setting and alcohol use.

If you build it will they come? Addressing social isolation within a technology-based HIV intervention for young black men who have sex with men

The rate of HIV infections among young black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) continues to rise at an alarming pace. YBMSM are particularly vulnerable to social isolation and a lack of social support due to experiences with racism and homophobia, which may have implications for sexual risk behaviors. The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of social isolation and sense of community among YBMSM, the need for and receptivity to social networking features designed to reduce social isolation and build community within an Internet- and mobile phone-based primary and secondary HIV prevention intervention for YBMSM and to identify strategies to develop these features. Focus groups were conducted with 22 YBMSM aged 20–30 years at three sites in North Carolina. Data from the focus groups were thematically analyzed using NVivo. Feelings of social isolation and lack of a sense of community were strongly endorsed by participants with homophobia, lack of opportunities for social engagement, and a focus on sex rather than friendship in interpersonal relationships with other YBMSM cited as contributing factors. Participants were receptive to a social networking intervention designed to reduce social isolation and build community. Recommendations offered by participants to increase acceptability and usability of such features included: availability of information about healthy relationships, the ability to connect with other YBMSM and health care providers, and ensuring the site had ongoing facilitation by the study team as well as monitoring for inappropriate content. The development of a social networking feature of an HIV prevention intervention may present an opportunity to reduce social isolation, build community, and reduce risky sexual behaviors among YBMSM. The findings from this study are being used to inform the development of a social networking feature for an existing Internet- and mobile phone-based primary and secondary HIV prevention intervention for YBMSM.

Ivan A. Sag

Ivan A. Sag

COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF ANXIETY FOR ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

Important areas of treatment for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have only begun to be explored empirically in the last decade. Fortunately, there has been growing interest in identifying how to best adapt treatments that have been demonstrated to be efficacious with broader populations to individuals with ASD. This article provides a review of the literature for cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) in the treatment of anxiety and mood disorders with modifications for adolescents and adults diagnosed with ASD. The majority of these studies incorporated manualized procedures, structured sessions, visual aids, use of worksheets, and an opportunity for social engagement, in addition to regular practice and feedback within a supportive environment. Treatment has been provided primarily in groups; however, researchers are beginning to explore the advantages of individualized treatment. Although only a handful of studies have been published on the use of CBT with adolescents or adults with ASD, results are promising. School psychologists will want to familiarize themselves with this literature to best meet the needs of students in their care. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Evidence-based guidelines for the informal use of computers by children to promote the development of academic, cognitive and social skills

The use of computers in the home has become very common among young children. This paper reviews research on the effects of informal computer use and identifies potential pathways through which computers may impact children's development. Based on the evidence reviewed, we present the following guidelines to arrange informal computer experiences that will promote the development of children's academic, cognitive and social skills: (1) children should be encouraged to use computers for moderate amounts of time (2–3 days a week for an hour or two per day) and (2) children's use of computers should (a) include non-violent action-based computer games as well as educational games, (b) not displace social activities but should instead be arranged to provide opportunities for social engagement with peers and family members and (c) involve content with pro-social and non-violent themes. We conclude the paper with questions that must be addressed in future research. Practitioner Summary: This paper reviews research on the effects of informal computer use on children's academic, cognitive and social skills. Based on the evidence presented, we have presented guidelines to enable parents, teachers and other adults to arrange informal computer experiences so as to maximise their potential benefit for children's development.

Disruption in Higher Education:Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

TO START THE ACADEMIC YEAR, THE PRESIDENT OF OUR UNIVERSITY ESTABLISHED SEVERAL COMMITTEES TO - ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. We are public institution that receives minimal state support. i was asked to be on the emerging technologies Commiteee.it has been fascinating to examine emerging technologies within the larger context of higher education. the committee was provided with several articles, blogs, and videos to reflect upon before meeting. Despite my long experience with online teaching, i must admit i was surprised when the president started the conversation with Mo°Cs, defined by educause as a model for delivering learning content online to virtually any person - and as many of them - who wants to take the (www.educause.edu/library/resources/ 7-things-you-should-know-about-moocs).Mo°Cs can involve thousands of students. the structure tends to be asynchronous and flexible to accommodate the varying levels of participation. anyone can participate for free in any or all of the course's learning activities (e.g., discussions, blogs, video lectures, other social media tools). While may not be feedback from the instructor, chances are will lots of discussion from all open participants.the so what of Mo°Cs, according to educause, is dynamic learning model that offers collaborative and social engagement opportunities for learners to construct Mo°Cs are great mechanism for lifelong learning. the downsides include variability across and within courses and the lack of completion rates. Mo°Cs are not for all students, especially those who like structure, but Digital Storytelling and to artificial intelligence, offered by two Stanford University professors, exceeded 100,000 learners.educause noted that George Siemens and Steven Downes offered the first Mo°C, Connectivism and Connective knowledge. it turns out that Siemens and Downes were doing Mo°C titled Current/Future State of Higher education, which started on october 8, and i decided to participate. (the course is housed on the learning management system Desire2Learn; for more information, visit http://edfuture.net/.) i logged on and found an introduction to the course, the content being covered over the six weeks of the course, list of readings, and access to the discussion group.Module 1 is focused on higher education around the world with weekly topics, including Change Pressures: What is influencing Higher education; net Pedagogies: new Models of teaching and Learning; entrepreneurship and Commercial activity; and big Data and analytics. For the first weekly topic, i chose to examine few of the readings (see Sidebar) and looked at the learning activities, which included discussions about the readings, sharing resources on www.diigo.com, engaging in twitter conversation, and creating and sharing concept map of the change drivers. an update arrives every day. needless to say, i was quickly overwhelmed.But the nice thing about Mo°Cs is, you can pick and choose as lurker or as an active participant. Here is how the instructors describe the distributive nature of Mo°C conversations: there is no single space where you'll track the discussion. Conversations will happen on twitter, Facebook, Desire2Learn, etc. the course is an activity stream rather than particular destination. You may find this structure disorienting at first. From our experience, once acclimated to the distributed format, owning your own spaces of learning is valuable and (dare i say it) empowering.I am definitely lurker in the course, one who scans the discussions and checks the resource websites. From reading the blogs, i have found it fascinating how different people have approached the course. one blog that caught my interest, titled Lifelong Learner: Claudia's Personal Learning Portfolio and Journal, provided mindmap for the six weeks of the course and listed the changing pressures influencing higher education ( h t t p : / / c l u d i s c h o l z . …

POLITICAL RECRUITMENT BEYOND ELECTIONS: AN EXPLORATION OF THE LINKAGE BETWEEN PATRONAGE, DEMOCRACY, AND DIVERSITY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Flowing out of wider debates regarding representative democracy, the diversity of political institutions has gained salience. Normatively, it is suggested that it is simply unfair for white, middle‐aged males to dominate decision‐making structures. Instead it has been argued that representative diversity can enhance the legitimacy of political institutions and processes, whilst improving the quality and inclusivity of policy‐making. Although most of these arguments have been applied to elected institutions and their bureaucracies, they are also germane in the context of appointments to the boards of public bodies, as the work of these bodies and the decisions made by their board members impacts upon the everyday lives of citizens. Drawing upon original research conducted in the UK, this article argues that the capacity of political actors to make appointments to public boards offers an as yet unrealized democratic potential by offering more opportunities for social engagement and participation in public governance.

Social Activity and Depressive Symptoms in Korean American Older Adults

This study examined the independent and interactive effects of acculturation and social activity on depressive symptoms. Using a sample of community-dwelling Korean American older adults (N = 675), hierarchical regression models of depressive symptoms were estimated with an array of predictors: (a) demographic variables, (b) health-related variables, (c) acculturation, (d) social activity, and (e) an interaction between acculturation and social activity. After controlling for the effects of demographic and health-related variables, both acculturation and social activity were identified as significant predictors. Moreover, their interaction was significant (β = .09, p < .05). Further analysis showed that the beneficial effect of social activity on mental health was particularly strong among those with lower levels of acculturation. Our findings suggest that enhancing opportunities for social engagement may serve to protect and promote the mental health of vulnerable older immigrants, particularly those who are less acculturated.

The social attention skills of preschool children with an intellectual disability and children with a hearing loss

THIRTY PRESCHOOL CHILDREN (10 with typical development, 10 with an intellectual disability and 10 with a hearing impairment) were videotaped during play. Data was collected for each participant group, covering the number, length and nature of social engagement opportunities (SEOs) and the children's attentional states during SEOs. The typically developing group had SEOs of longer duration than did the children with an intellectual disability, although not significantly longer than those of the group with a hearing impairment. The children with intellectual disability were more frequently disengaged during SEOs. The typical group's SEOs were more visual and interactive than those of the other two groups. The typically developing group was more attentive than the group with a hearing impairment, and was more likely to display aware–alert and sustained attention than were the two disability groups. For higher-order attentional states, the typically developing group was more likely to achieve focused and divided attention than was the hearing impaired group, which was more likely to exhibit these states than was the group with an intellectual disability.

PE and Recess Differences in Social Engagement and Physical Activity in Children with Autism

Physical activity (PA) in children with autism can be explained to some extent by the self-determination model (Wehmeyer and Gamer, 2003). This theory operates on an assumption of reciprocity between the individual and the environment. Children with autism may be at risk for inactivity due to social and behavioral deficits often associated with the condition. Yet, children with autism may be more affected by social and environmental constraints than the actual impairment. PURPOSE: To compare physical education (PE) and recess differences of children with autism in social engagement and PA patterns. METHODS: Twenty-six (Asperger, n=6; high-functioning autism, n=12; moderate autism, n=8) children with autism aged 7-12 (9.23±1.45 yrs) participated. Physical activity was measured with a uniaxial accelerometer (Actigraph GT1M), and social engagement was assessed with the Engagement Check (McWilliam, 1990). The accelerometer was worn during school time for 5 consecutive school days, and social engagement was videotaped and observed for one recess period each day and all PE sessions in a week. Physical activity data are reported as percentage of time engaged in moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA), vigorous PA (VPA), and step counts (steps/minute). Social engagement data are reported as percentage of interactive and noninteractive engagements with peers and adults. A Wilcoxon matched pairs signed-rank test was used to examine differences between settings. Significance was set at p<0.05. RESULTS: Findings indicate that (a) children with autism spent significantly more percentage of time in VPA (8.23%±8.98 vs. 2.65%±3.26, Z=3.59, p<0.01) and walked more (3839±1987 vs. 1557±846, Z=3.95, p<0.01) during PE than recess, and (b) percentage of interactive engagement with adults (30.24%±28.24 vs. 12.22%±17.14, Z=3.29, p<0.01) and noninteractive engagement with peers (23.96%±27.54 vs. 9.33%±20.63, Z=2.11, p<0.05) were significantly higher during PE as compared to recess. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that children with autism have higher PA and social engagement opportunities during structured PE than recess. Unstructured recess time might be redesigned to provide support and encouragement to be physically active and socially engaged. Supported by grant NSC 95-2413-H-017-010, National Science Council, Taiwan.

Perceived Access to Community Facilities, Social Motivation, and Physical Activity among New Zealand Youth

The current study describes motivations for physical activity and relationships between recreational facilities and physical activity among a nationally representative sample of New Zealand youth. Our findings suggest that physical activity interventions should address both the social (opportunities for social engagement) and physical (access to recreational facilities) environments of adolescents.