Peer Encouragement Research Articles

Willingness by people living with HIV/AIDS to utilize HIV services provided by village health teams in Kalungu district, central Uganda.

Introduction: Less than 25% of people in need of HIV services in Uganda have access. Village health teams (VHTs) provide a front-line service at the local level. Made up of volunteers with basic medical training the VHT members could integrate HIV service provision into their activities. This study assessed the willingness of people living with HIV (PLWAs) to utilize HIV services provided by VHT members in Kalungu district, central Uganda. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in health facilities providing anti-retroviral therapy. A random sample stratified by gender was used to recruit 312 people living with HIV/AIDS into the study. Participants were visited in their villages and a questionnaire was administered. Quantitative data were analyzed using Stata version 10 software. Univariate analysis was done for descriptive statistics. Bivariate analysis using odds ratios at 95% CI was done to identify important factors associated with willingness of utilization of VHT services. A forward fitting logistic regression model was used to assess the factors associated with willingness of PLWAs to utilize services provided by VHTs while controlling for confounders. Results: Overall, 49% (95% CI 43.43-56.42) of the study participants were willing to utilize HIV services provided by VHTs. This proportion increased to 75.6% (95% CI 70.76-80.36) if the VHT member was HIV positive. PLWAs who resided in urban areas were more likely to utilize HIV services provided by VHTs (Adjusted OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.06-0.87). Barriers to utilizing HIV services provided by VHTs included income level of greater than USD 40 (Adjusted OR 6.43 95% CI 1.19-34.68), being a business person (adjusted OR 8.71 95% CI 1.23-61.72), being a peasant (Adjusted OR 7.95 95% CI 1.37-46.19) lack of peer encouragement (Adjusted OR 6.33 95% CI 1.43-28.09), lack of encouragement from spouse (Adjusted OR 4.93 95% CI 1.23-19.82) and lack of encouragement from community leader (Adjusted OR 9.67 95% CI 3.35-27.92). Conclusion: PLWA are more willing to utilize HIV services provided by HIV positive VHT members compared to VHT members who are HIV negative. Having social support could improve willingness by PLWAs to utilize HIV services provided by VHTs. These factors can be used to increase access of HIV services to the general population.

Vigorous physical activity among college students: Using the health belief model to assess involvement and social support

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine college students’ perceived benefits, barriers, cues to action, and extent of involvement in vigorous physical activity. Methods : A convenience sample of 480 participants (92% response rate) was surveyed at a Midwestern university. Valid and reliable subscales were developed for the 21-item questionnaire. Analyses were conducted to examine whether benefits, barriers, cues, and vigorous physical activity involvement differed significantly based on: sex, grade level, parental exercise patterns, parental encouragement, peer exercise patterns, and peer encouragement . Results: Results indicated that participants’ involvement in vigorous physical activity each week was on average 2.36 days. Parent and peer involvement in and encouragement of vigorous physical activity significantly affected the number of perceived benefits, barriers, cues and involvement in vigorous physical activity. Results showed significant correlations between the number of perceived benefits, barriers, cues to action, and the extent of involvement in vigorous physical activity. Conclusions: The number of perceived benefits and cues to exercise was associated with higher vigorous physical activity involvement, while the number of perceived barriers was associated with lower vigorous physical activity involvement. Such results should be considered when developing and implementing strategies aimed at increasing vigorous physical activity among students.

Association between emotional intelligence and illicit drug involvement: A study in adolescents in Tehran, Iran

The study sought to assess if there is an association between emotional intelligence (EI) with illicit drug use in adolescents, and if this link is independent of social and parental variables. In this cross-sectional study, 990 randomly selected adolescents (age 15 - 17) from public high schools in Tehran, Iranian capital, were interviewed in 2006. The independent data consisted of EI (measured by the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory) and also demographic characteristics (age and sex), family-related data (number of siblings and having an intact family), education-related data (attitude towards school and school achievement), parental and environmental data of illicit drug use and the outcome was “a history of illicit drug use amongst adolescents”. Our logistic regression model showed that the correlates of a history of illicit drug use in the adolescents were “the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory score” (P < 0.001) alongside “family history of illicit drug use” (P < 0.001), “witnessing illicit drug use” (P < 0.014), “peer encouragement of illicit drug use” (P = 0.006), “school achievement” (P < 0.001), and “attitude towards school” (P = 0.007). Our results indicated a link between EI and a history of illicit drug use in Iranian adolescents, independent of other social factors. It is advisable that policymakers pay heed to this association in devising preventive measures against illicit drug use amongst adolescents. Key words: Adolescents, Illicit drug use, emotional intelligence, social risk factors.

Building success in quality improvement: An analysis of what barriers hinder and what catalysts promote the widespread adoption of quality improvement initiatives.

122 Background: Quality improvement initiatives and outcomes research activities at Intermountain Healthcare are regularly conducted across 9 clinical domains, including oncology. The purpose of this abstract is to define some of the projects initiated in the primary management of breast cancer and critically analyze the barriers and catalysts allowing for adoption of quality improvement processes. Methods: Between 2003 and 2010 we initiated approximately 15 projects designed to measure and improve quality of care delivery in the treatment of breast cancer. These projects included increasing the use of breast conservation for primary surgical management, reducing axillary dissections for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ and the adaptation of sentinel node biopsy rather than axillary dissection for primary breast cancer. Quality improvement projects involving diagnostic imaging included evaluation of the time from abnormal mammogram to biopsy and the utility of follow-up mammography following breast conservation. Results: Measured variability among practicing clinicians in many instances was substantially reduced or eliminated. Adoption of clinical improvements was most often rapid and noticeable across the entire health care system, however, in some instances quality processes were not completely adopted. The adoption of quality improvement initiatives occurred where obvious clinical benefit could be documented, technical expertise was enhanced and peer supervision existed. Adoption occurred less frequently when financial barriers to adoption existed, clinical benefit was less well defined and peer encouragement was less vigorous. Conclusions: Quality improvement processes across a large healthcare system can be instituted and adopted by a variety of facilities and practicing clinicians. Barriers and catalysts to adoption do exist and this presentation will attempt to document and outline opportunities for success using quality improvement in a large healthcare system.

Differentiating the effects of maternal and peer encouragement to diet on child weight control attitudes and behaviors

Obese and overweight youth are more at risk for engaging in frequent dieting, unhealthy weight control behaviors and report more body dissatisfaction than their normal weight peers. Previous research has indicated that peer and maternal encouragement to diet is predictive of unhealthy weight related behaviors and attitudes. The current study aims to examine if maternal and peer encouragement to diet equally mediate the relationship between youth BMI z-score and (a) unhealthy weight control behaviors, (b) diet frequency and (c) body dissatisfaction in a sample of racially diverse boys and girls. Participants were 94 children/adolescents between the ages of 8–17. Results were stratified by gender. Three bootstrapped multiple mediation models were conducted to examine each outcome variable. Results indicated that maternal encouragement to diet mediated the relationships predicting unhealthy weight control and diet frequency for girls, but not for boys. Peer encouragement to diet significantly mediated the relationship predicting unhealthy weight control behaviors, with increased peer encouragement associated with fewer unhealthy weight control behaviors for girls. Peer encouragement to diet was not a significant mediator for any of the outcomes for boys. Results suggest that maternal encouragement to diet may play a larger role than peer encouragement to diet in predicting unhealthy weight attitudes and behaviors for girls.

Incorporating ICT Tools in an Active Engagement Strategy-based Classroom to Promote Learning Awareness and Self-Monitoring

The paper examines the influence of incorporating information and communication technology (ICT) tools to help learners to promote learning awareness and self-monitoring skills. An open-ended online questionnaire survey was administered to 15 course participants at the conclusion of the course. The data were analysed on the basis of the percentage of responses according to the influence of ICT tools from the perspectives of the two above-mentioned aspects. The responses from the questionnaire were used to support and triangulate the findings. In addition, reflection reports submitted by all the participants were examined to determine the participants’ perceptions of the influence of ICT tools on their own learning throughout the course. In general, the findings showed encouraging results in both learning awareness and self-monitoring skills. According to the findings, individual differences in terms of personality traits and ICT knowledge determined the preference for ICT tools, regardless of the specific pedagogical purposes for incorporating these tools. In the future, we aim to use peer learning techniques to develop peer encouragement and motivation among learners.

A dual indicator set to help farms achieve more sustainable crop protection

Farmers are being called to use plant protection products (PPPs) more consciously and adopt more sustainable crop protection strategies. Indicators will help farmers to monitor their progress towards sustainability and will support their learning process. Talking the indicators through in farmers' discussion groups and the resulting peer encouragement will foster knowledge acquirement and can lead to changes in attitudes, norms, perception and behaviour. Using a participatory approach, a conceptual framework for on-farm sustainable crop protection practices was created. The same participatory approach was used to design a dual indicator set, which pairs a pesticide impact assessment system (PIAS) with a farm inquiry. The PIAS measures the risk for human health and the environment exerted by chemical crop protection. The inquiry reveals the farmers' response to this risk, both in terms of the actions they take and their knowledge, awareness and attitude. The dual indicator set allows for implementation in four tiers, each representing increased potential for monitoring and social learning. The indicator set can be adjusted on the basis of new findings, and the participatory approach can be extrapolated to other situations.

When Nontraditional is Traditional: A Faculty Dialogue with Graduating Community College Students about Persistence

Nontraditional characteristics of community college students contribute to a sense of belonging and a sense of common struggle, uniting students in their uniqueness to persist. These diverse students, combined with faculty and peer encouragement, provide a learning environment conducive to completion. As community college educators, we have the privilege and responsibility to foster class environments where students may connect and encourage each other in their intersected identities.

Familial and peer modeling and verbal commentary: Associations with muscularity-oriented body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors

This study investigated associations between familial and peer modeling of weightlifting and verbal commentary with muscularity-oriented body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors to increase muscularity in men. Participants were 177 male undergraduates who completed self-report questionnaires measuring negative verbal commentary about appearance and encouragement to lift from family and peers, paternal and peer modeling of weightlifting, muscularity-oriented body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors aimed at increasing muscularity. Two hierarchical linear regressions examined the relationships between these social influences and body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors. Both regression models were significant. Peer encouragement to lift and peer negative verbal commentary were significant predictors of body dissatisfaction; paternal and peer modeling and peer encouragement to lift were significant predictors of body change behaviors. These findings confirm the importance of verbal commentary to male body dissatisfaction and also highlight the importance of modeling on men's engagement in body change behaviors to increase muscularity.

Michigan Health & Hospital Association Keystone Obstetrics: A Statewide Collaborative for Perinatal Patient Safety in Michigan

Preventable harm to mothers and infants during labor and birth is a significant patient safety and professional liability issue. A Michigan Health & Hospital Association Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality Obstetric Collaborative Project involved perinatal teams from 15 Michigan hospitals during an 11-month period in 2009. The purpose of the project was to promote safe care practices during labor and birth using the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP). Consistent with the CUSP model, this project's components included assessing and promoting a culture of safety; interdisciplinary team building; case review; learning from defects through multiple methods of education; team and individual coaching and peer encouragement; administrative support for the establishment of a fundamental safety infrastructure; and ongoing evaluation of care processes and outcomes. Study measures included 32 components of a perinatal patient infrastructure, 6 care processes during labor and birth, and 4 neonatal outcomes. Significant improvements were found in the safety culture (Safety Attitudes Questionnaire), the perinatal patient safety infrastructure components, and all care processes. Although the project was successful, getting buy-in from all members of the clinical team in each hospital for all of the measures was challenging at times. There was initial resistance to some of the measures and their various expected aspects of care. For example, some of the clinicians were initially reluctant to adopt the recommended standardized oxytocin protocol. Peer encouragement and unit-based feedback on progress in minimizing early elective births proved useful in many hospitals. A CUSP in obstetrics can be beneficial in improving the care of mothers and infants during labor and birth.

Problem presentation and responses on an online forum for young people who self-harm

In this article we investigate the nature of problem presentation and responses on an online forum for young people who self-harm. Previous studies have raised concerns about the peer encouragement of self-harming behaviours in online forums, and this analysis considers the nature of peer interaction on a specific forum, ‘ SharpTalk’. This was a research forum which explored the potential of online communities to foster engagement and shared learning between NHS professionals and young people who self-harm. This analysis draws on conversation analysis methods to study problem presentation and responses, and nature of advice given. Analysis highlighted both the tendency to offer advice where it was not asked for, and the mundane ‘safe’ nature of advice. This awareness of how young people interact and provide support online is important for those setting up online interventions to support young people who self-harm.

Fields of Gold

Firms increasingly equip field service workers with virtual team technology that enables them to deliver services more efficiently and take part in new service development. However, the “out-of-office” nature of field service tasks limits the possibilities for supervision, so virtual team outcomes are hard to control. To predict virtual team service performance, this study delineates the notion of team efficacy in the context of virtual service teams. The authors assess virtual team members' perceptions of virtual team efficacy and its perceived antecedents and consequences. The authors find that perceived virtual team efficacy explains service performance better than previously established, generalized confidence beliefs. Specifically, data collected from 192 field service employees in 28 virtual teams reveal that perceived virtual team efficacy provides a strong predictor of in-role service performance and extra-role innovative service performance. Factors external to the organization (i.e., competitors' use and customer appreciation of virtual team technology) drive perceived virtual team efficacy, whereas internal factors (i.e., supervisor and peer encouragement of virtual team technology) are less effective. Therefore, managers must keep up-to-date with competitive developments and openly discuss insights with the team. Positive customer feedback should also be distributed to team members when employee contributions to new service development are envisioned.

Path of socialization and cognitive factors' effects on adolescents' alcohol use in Taiwan

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to explore the direct and indirect effects of alcohol-related socialization factors and cognitive factors on adolescent alcohol use in a country with a low prevalence of drinking. MethodsData were obtained from the 2006 phase of the Child and Adolescent Behaviors in Long-term Evolution (CABLE) project, at which time the study participants were in grade nine (aged 14–15years). Data from 1940 participants were analyzed. The main study variables included the current alcohol use of each adolescent, alcohol expectations, alcohol refusal efficacy, alcohol use among parents and peers, attitudes of the parents toward underage drinking, and peer encouragement of drinking. Path analysis was conducted to examine whether parental and peer socialization factors had direct effects on adolescent alcohol use, or whether they acted indirectly via cognitive factors. ResultsAmong the participants, 19.54% had used alcohol in the previous month. Path analysis demonstrated that father, mother and peer alcohol use directly influenced alcohol use in adolescents. Attitudes of mothers toward underage drinking, peer drinking and peer encouragement of drinking had indirect effects on adolescent alcohol use that were mediated by cognitive factors. ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that alcohol-related socialization factors could directly influence adolescent drinking behavior and had indirect effects on alcohol use that were mediated by cognitive factors partially. Parents and peers play important roles in preventing adolescent alcohol use. Establishing appropriate alcohol expectations and strengthening alcohol refusal skills could aid in decreasing alcohol use in adolescents.

Cultural and peer influences on homicidal violence: A Finnish perspective

Two case examples of school shootings in Finland illustrate the interplay between the distal, international influence of the Columbine shooting and the more immediate impact of local peer interactions involving both peer bullying at school and peer encouragement of violence through the Internet. Both cases involved emotionally troubled young men who identified with the Columbine attackers and aspired to attain notoriety through similar acts of violence. There was a sequence of missed opportunities for prevention in these shootings that occurred when the student was chronically bullied, developed serious emotional problems, became fascinated with Columbine-type events, and subsequently began to discuss interests and plans to commit a similar act.

The Use of Social Media to Improve Social Work Education in Remote Areas

Social media provides a relatively new way to study social work. In this article, we describe an experiment to use social media in social work education. The use of social media and other distance-learning solutions, gives several advantages to both students and teachers. For example, it makes studying processes transparent, offers both peer encouragement and peer discipline, and enhances students' competence in information and communication technologies (ICT). Since the role of technology in our everyday life is growing, it is crucial to learn to use social media as an educational tool.

Getting by with a Little Help from My Friends: Mental Rotation Ability after Tacit Peer Encouragement

We examined how Mental Rotation (MR) ability was improved by presenting information that the task was one that could be accomplished. This information purportedly came from either peers or the experimenter. Men and women students completed 10 MR items from the Purdue Visualization of Rotations Test (Bodner & Guay, 1997) and provided self-reports about their confidence in their abilities to perform rotations, background skills and experiences, and effort with the task. The peer-presentation technique improved performance on MR, as both men and women who read that other students had previously managed the tasks performed better than those who merely heard about the tasks, leaving an implied difficulty unaddressed or “in the air.” When self-reported confidence in MR ability was held constant there were no gender differences in MR performance. The results suggest that appropriate peer models may improve performance on cognitive tasks, perhaps by increasing confidence in ability.

Library and information science practitioners writing for publication: motivations, barriers and supports

Few research studies have investigated UK LIS practitioners' motivation for publication, the barriers they perceive and which supports they think would help, and there is a particular lack of research on publication by practitioners who do not work in academic libraries. This investigation drew evidence from - a small scale quantitative survey to assess variation in the extent of practitioner publishing in 12 LIS publications, including peer reviewed journals and practitioner magazines,&#x0D; -an online survey of self-perceived motivations, barriers, and writing support wishes, undertaken by 100 LIS practitioners in September 2009. &#x0D; Key motivations included sharing ideas, professional development and raising the personal profile. Lack of time was the most reported barrier to participation, while protected time to write, peer encouragement and organisational support via appraisal objectives were most commonly requested supports. The findings will be of interest to those who wish to participate in or promote LIS practitioner publishing and research.

The consistency of family and peer influences on the development of substance use in adolescence.

Latent growth modeling (LGM) was used to analyse longitudinal data for adolescent substance use from five overlapping age cohorts (11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 years at first assessment) measured at four annual time points. An associative cohort-sequential model was tested for alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use with a sample of 345 adolescents (11-18 years old) from an urban area in the Pacific Northwestern region of the United States. Hypotheses concerning the shape of the growth curve, the extent of individual differences in the common trajectory over time, and the influence of family cohesion, peer encouragement and gender on initial substance use and shape of the growth curve were tested. Results indicated similarities between alcohol, cigarette and marijuana initial use and development, with peer encouragement and family cohesion predictive of initial levels of use, and changes in peer encouragement influencing the developmental trajectories of the three substances. Females were higher than males in initial status and developed less rapidly in their use of the substances than did males. Findings are discussed in terms of the similarities and differences in the developmental trajectories of the three substances and the importance of family and peer influences on these trends.

Alcohol use from ages 9 to 16: A cohort-sequential latent growth model

This study examined alcohol use from pre-adolescence to mid-adolescence and determined the influence of hypothesized covariates on changes in alcohol use rates during this developmental period. The sample comprised 405 randomly recruited youth from three age cohorts (9, 11, and 13 years), assessed annually for 4 years. Youth were 48.4% female, 50.4% African–American, and 49.6% White. A cohort-sequential latent growth model was employed which modeled alcohol use (use versus non-use) from ages 9 to 16 years, accounting for demographic variables of gender, race, parent marital status, and family economic status. Covariates of alcohol use included parent alcohol use, family alcohol problems, family cohesion, parent supervision, peer deviance, peer alcohol use, and peer encouragement of alcohol use. Results showed that proportions of alcohol users increased steadily from ages 9 to 16 years. Significant covariates were found on the intercept and slope. Being female and higher levels of parent alcohol use were associated with higher initial rates of alcohol use, whereas greater friends’ encouragement of alcohol use was related to lower initial rates of alcohol use (intercept). Alternatively, more peer deviance and friends’ encouragement of alcohol use was related to an increase in alcohol use rates from ages 9 to 16 years (slope), as was being White and from a single-parent family.

Civic responsibility among Australian adolescents: Testing two competing models

AbstractThe development of civic responsibility is considered to be an important component of healthy adolescent development. However, the study of its development has been relatively neglected and few studies have attempted to ground understanding of its development in a theoretical framework. The present study operationalized civic responsibility as attitudes and behaviors relating to political and community issues that are beneficial to society and compared two theoretical causal models, the social development model (SDM) and a coping‐competency model for their predictive value. Gender differences were also assessed. A total of 500 subjects, drawn from a longitudinal study (the Australian Temperament Project), participated in the study, using questionnaire and interview data. Approximately 1 in 5 adolescents actively engaged in behaviors reflecting community civic responsibility and less than 1 in 10 actively participated in the political arena. However, positive levels of social awareness were evident. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that the SDM had the most predictive value for political and community civic responsibility. Peer encouragement and peer participation were the most significant predictors. Variables from the coping‐competency model played some role in the prediction of community, but not political, civic responsibility. Gender differences in community civic responsibility, but not political civic responsibility, were found. One in two adolescents indicated that they would participate in volunteer work or political activities if more opportunities existed. This suggests the need for greater availability of appropriate community‐oriented activities for adolescents. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 32: 229–255, 2004.