Practical Exercises Research Articles

Patient experience and barriers of using a mHealth exercise app in musculoskeletal (MSK) Physiotherapy.

Digital transformation has led to an abundance of digital health technologies (DHTs) readily available for Physiotherapists. In July 2020, the Physiotherapy department at a London NHS Trust implemented a mobile health (mHealth) exercise application (app), Physitrack. This service evaluation aims to evaluate patient experience and identify any barriers to using Physitrack/PhysiApp in musculoskeletal (MSK) Physiotherapy. An online experience survey was sent to 10,287 MSK Physiotherapy patients who had appointments between January 17th and April 9th 2022.The survey received 1,447 responses (response rate: 14.07%), with 954 (65.93%) respondents previously provided PhysiApp as part of their Physiotherapy management. Most participants used PhysiApp (83.06%), found it easy to use (82.20%) and had positive perceptions on how it added value to their Physiotherapy treatment through its functionality. However, negative impacts on patient-centred care and practical exercise demonstration were apparent in the qualitative results. Key barriers to use included suboptimal explanation, digital exclusion, registration/ login issues and opinion that PhysiApp was superfluous to Physiotherapy treatment. These differed to the main barriers of why participants stopped using/ used PhysiApp less: if they were confident exercising without it, their condition improved/ resolved, loss of motivation, their exercise programme ended or if they found their exercise programme was unsuitable. Despite multiple interdependent factors influencing patient experience and barriers of using PhysiApp, the survey results revealed the significant influence that is exerted by MSK Physiotherapists. The patient-physiotherapist interaction can positively or negatively impact upon many barriers of use and the subsequent potential added value of PhysiApp to MSK Physiotherapy treatment. Future research should focus on those at most risk of digital exclusion and health inequalities, exploring their barriers to using mHealth apps and other DHTs.

The application effect of the segmented teaching method in training medical students on clinical practice skills

BackgroundThe surgical clinical practice skill training is an important part of medical undergraduate education. Surgical skills are complex and difficult to master. However, the traditional teaching method has some disadvantages, for example, low student participation, weak learning atmosphere, inadequate mastery of the subject matter. We innovatively put forward the segmented teaching method in the field of clinical practice skills training. The segmented teaching method refers to dividing a specific teaching content into several relatively independent parts and providing segmented practice for each part. This approach enhances students’ learning outcomes.The aim of this controlled study is to investigate the effects of the segmented teaching methods on clinical practice skills training in medical students.Methods31 medical students participating in clinical practice skill training at The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China from March to April 2024 were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n = 16) receiving segmented teaching method or the control group (n = 15) receiving traditional teaching method. After completion of practical exercises, both groups underwent operational assessments, theoretical assessments, Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX), and Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) for teaching quality evaluation. A comparative analysis of the results between the two groups was conducted.ResultsAfter implementing the program, there were no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) between the experimental and control groups in theoretical assessment scores, Mini-CEX clinical judgment scores, and SEEQ teaching quality evaluation scores. However, compared to the control group, the experimental group demonstrated better operational assessment scores, higher Mini-CEX scores in history taking, physical examination, professionalism, doctor-patient communication, organizational efficiency, and comprehensive abilities, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe application of segmented teaching method in clinical practice skill training for medical students yields favorable training outcomes.

Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Exercise Knowledge and Practice during Pregnancy: A Mini-Review

Background: This mini-review synthesizes current research on exercise knowledge and practices among pregnant women, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Key Findings: Recent studies indicate a generally positive attitude towards exercise during pregnancy across various cultural contexts. Walking and housework emerge as the most common forms of physical activity among pregnant women in these settings. Influencing Factors: The review explores factors influencing exercise knowledge and practice, including education level, parity, socio-economic status, and cultural beliefs. It also examines the sources of information pregnant women rely on for exercise guidance. Identified Needs: Despite growing awareness, there remains a need for more specific, culturally appropriate guidance on safe and beneficial exercises during pregnancy. Recommendations: The review concludes with recommendations for healthcare providers and policymakers, emphasizing the importance of incorporating exercise counseling into routine antenatal care and tailoring interventions to local contexts. Conclusion and Future Directions: This comprehensive overview highlights the potential for improving maternal and fetal health outcomes through appropriate physical activity during pregnancy, while also identifying areas for future research.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Toward Physical Activity and It’s Associated Factor Among Women Attending Antenatal Care at Public Health Institutions in Debre Berhan Town, North Eastern Ethiopia

Physical inactivity is linked to pregnancy-related complications. Exercise participation during pregnancy is restricted in low-middle income nations, including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess factors associated with physical activity practice among pregnant women attending antenatal care at public health institutions in Debre Berhan Town Northeastern Ethiopia. Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 22, 2021 to May 22, 2021 in Debre Berhan Town. The systematic random sampling technique was used to obtain the 418 participants. Data were collected by using standardized questionnaires. Data were entered, cleaned by Epi data version 3.1 and analyzed by SPSS version 25. The variables which had p-value &lt; .05 and with 95% confidence interval were declared as determine factors of antenatal physical exercise. According to this study, 222 (53.1%, CI [48.3, 57.7]), 220 (52.6% [47.8, 57.2]), and 218 (52.2% [CI 47.6, 56.7]) of respondents had good knowledge, favorable attitude, and good practice of physical exercise respectively. Age group of 30 to 34 years (AOR: 2.15, 95% CI [1.08, 4.29]), housewife (AOR: 7.81, 95% CI [1.48, 41.21]), cultural recommendation (AOR: 2.16, 95% CI [1.37, 3.39]), exercise before pregnancy (AOR: 2.69, 95% CI [1.72, 4.19]), and gestational age &gt;24 weeks (AOR: 2.538, 95% CI [1.02, 6.29]) were factors associated with practice of physical exercise during pregnancy. Physical activity during pregnancy was more common in the current study than in the national average. During an ANC visit, health care providers should improve and strengthen physical activity counseling sessions.

SELF-ESTEEM AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

To examine the influence of Sex, age, area of residence, academic year, health behaviors, and social media use on self-esteem and psychological well-being in a sample of Portuguese university students. A descriptive, correlational, and quantitative study was conducted using a cross-sectional, quasi-experimental design. The sample comprised 194 individuals (171 female, 23 male) aged 18-57 years. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Psychological General Well-being Index short version. The results showed a positive correlation between self-esteem and psychological well-being. Gender showed effects on both self-esteem and psychological well-being when associated with hours of sleep per day and social media use. Academic year and physical exercise practice only affected self-esteem. Age demonstrated statistically significant multivariate effects on both self-esteem and psychological well-being. No significant effects were found on self-esteem and psychological well-being for the remaining variables (area of residence, smoking habits, hours of sleep per day, social media use, and daily time spent on social networks). It is possible to conclude that self-esteem positively influences psychological well-being, and psychological well-being affects self-esteem, highlighting the importance of a healthy relationship between these constructs. In the absence of such a relationship, access to mental health and support services is necessary.

Web-Based Assessment System for Graduate Learning Achievements in Outcome-Based Education

This research utilizes the Rapid Application Development (RAD) approach, with the analysis stage involving a review of relevant literature and interviews with prospective system users. The next stage is the requirement planning, which entails defining the features or services within the software accessible to prospective system users. The design phase employs use case diagrams, activity diagrams, and Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERD). Subsequently, it is translated into the Laravel framework and undergoes testing to produce a software system for assessing Graduate Learning Outcomes (CPL). This system offers facilities for academic programs to create outcome-based education (OBE) mappings and enables instructors to assess students based on the established mapping data. It also provides students with the ability to view their outcome results. CPL refer to the essential skills that students must acquire following their academic studies. These skills encompass the internalization of grades, attitudes, general knowledge, and specific skills, which students are required to fulfill throughout their academic journey. Outcome grades, as mapped, are attained by students through participation, written tests (quizzes), observations (practical exercises), performance (presentations), mid-term exams, final exams, and oral tests (group assignments). This Graduate Learning Outcomes assessment software is expected to assist program administrators and instructors in managing CPL and also enable students to access detailed records of their outcome grades.

Measuring the center and the dimension of our Galaxy using globular clusters

Abstract Historical measurements, such as the measurement of the size of our Galaxy and distance to its center, are based on relatively simple assumptions, that allow high-school students and undergraduate college students to explore and replicate the basic analysis of astronomical data. Here I present a practical data analysis exercise, that was developed to select the Slovenian participants to the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA). The exercise guides students to discover the globular cluster distribution within our Galaxy, use basic knowledge of spherical astronomy and coordinate transformation, explore the night sky and develop basic skills for the analysis of astronomical data.&amp;#xD;

ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ВІРТУАЛЬНОЇ ЛАБОРАТОРІЇ LABSTER ДЛЯ ВИВЧЕННЯ ХІМІЇ В ТЕХНІЧНОМУ УНІВЕРСИТЕТІ

Immersive virtual labs represent a digital paradigm in education that meets the needs and preferences of today’s students. The main advantage is the ability to conduct laboratory and practical work in the physical absence of educational equipment or the inability to use it, which is especially important in the context of martial law restrictions in Ukraine. The article analyzes the experience of using the Labster web platform, which provides virtual laboratory simulations of natural sciences. The virtual laboratory was used in the educational process of Lutsk National Technical University when teaching chemical disciplines in the autumn semester of the 2023-2024 academic year. The virtual simulation tasks "Introduction to Groups of the Periodic Table" were offered to students as an alternative option for extracurricular independent work. 146 1st year students were registered, of which 99 (67.8%) completed the test, and 47 (32.2 %) partially passed it. The results of the surveys are presented, the first was conducted immediately after work, the second was a questionnaire on the comprehensibility of the content and the perception of the usefulness of Labster modeling – about three weeks after the completion of the Labster simulation. Based on the analysis of the answers of students, the main advantages of using a virtual laboratory are established - gaining new educational experience, improving the knowledge and digital skills of students. Virtual simulations increased students' engagement and confidence. The advantage of working in a virtual laboratory is personalized learning. The main obstacles to using Labster are highlighted: low level of English proficiency (Labster does not involve the use of Ukrainian content) and insufficient digital skills to navigate in the virtual space. It is recommended to use virtual simulations not as a substitute for classroom practical exercises, but as a modern tool to supplement them.

PRACTICE OF MECHAOTHERAPEUTIC EXERCISES STIMULATES BRAIN NEUROPLASTICITY IN A POST-ACCIDENT PATIENT BRAIN VASCULAR

Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is a disease that affects motor functionality and quality of life in patients. This article explores the efficacy and safety of physical therapy approaches through the practice of resistance exercises with mechanotherapeutic equipment in post-stroke rehabilitation, analyzing the current literature to provide a comprehensive and grounded view on the subject.

Application of MS Excel and FastTest PlugIn to automatically evaluate the students' performance in structural engineering courses

AbstractBackgroundIn recent years, the method of assessment in universities has been rapidly changing, shifting from entirely in‐person evaluations to a blended evaluation approach (b‐Learning).PurposeTo effectively implement this type of assessment, it is necessary to create numerous similar problems with different data sets. In structural engineering courses, this entails a significant amount of work for the lecturers. Therefore, this work introduces a novel teaching and evaluation strategy leveraging technology to automate tasks, aiming to enhance student monitoring and alleviate lecturer workload.MethodThe digital platform Moodle has been used combined with the FastTest PlugIn to create computer coding to develop different problems. These problems, maintaining consistent structures but varying data, served both instructional and evaluative purposes in two structural engineering courses. As a novelty, these problems are automatically evaluated and created following the coding routine created. Some drawbacks have been identified while applying the method. Scientifically validated quizzes have been used to assess the efficacy of the method in engaging students and enhancing their confidence and satisfaction.ResultsFindings suggest that while initial setup requires additional time, the investment pays off in the grading efficiency, benefiting educators and students alike. The method has facilitated the creation of additional exercises for practice, and the inclusion of automatically corrected diagrams was appreciated by students. The results have indicated that this method has improved the motivation, attention, and confidence among students, leading to significant enhancements in academic performance, up to 40%.ConclusionsThis methodology has achieved positive responses from students. Hence, it is concluded that the time invested in developing structural engineering problems using MS Excel and the FastTest PlugIn in Moodle is worthwhile, as it motivates students to improve their academic performance. Furthermore, as the main outcome, it is shown that the time invested by the lecturer in developing the problems is amortized in subsequent academic years since the problems are graded automatically. For courses with many students, it is amortized sooner.

Effect of the PROFIT-BR exercise program on physical fitness of children: a protocol study

BackgroundConsidering that school environments are important and have the potential to promote an active lifestyle with direct impacts on physical, motor, cognitive, affective, and psychological aspects, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a physical exercise program in the school context.MethodsA parallel, two-arm experimental research project carried out over 19 weeks, with two non-consecutive weekly classes of 60 min, with the inclusion of PROFIT-BR in the initial 15 min of the class followed by 40 min based on specific physical education skills on indicators of physical fitness in children. Estimates of excess weight and visceral fat will be measured and assessed by body mass index and waist-to-height ratio, respectively, and cardiorespiratory fitness by performance in the six-minute run/walk test. Flexibility will be assessed by the sit and reach test; and muscle strength measured by the number of sit-ups in one minute. The 2 kg medicine ball throw and the horizontal jump will be used to measure upper and lower limb power, respectively, the square test used as a measure of agility, and the 20-meter run test used to measure speed. To analyze the differences between baseline and post-intervention values, repeated measures ANOVA adjusted for somatic maturation will be used. The magnitude of the effect size will be estimated by “partial eta squared”. Statistical analyses will be carried out using SPSS version 24.0 software and a 5% probability of error in the analyses will be accepted.DiscussionThe main theoretical assumption of the proposal is the cause-and-effect relationship between the regular practice of physical exercise in childhood and adolescence and several parameters of health and motor performance. The elaborated program has a lot of applicability because it was wondering from the perspective of the school, in terms of materials, space, and objectives of physical education.

Analysis on the Writing Errors of Grade 6 Students: Basis for Instructional Material Development

The ability of students to express themselves through writing is not just a reflection of their linguistic prowess but also a determinant of their academic and future career success. The purpose of this study is to conduct an analysis on the writing errors of Grade 6 students of Paciencia Elementary School, Loreto, Agusan Del Sur. The findings would be used as the basis for instructional material development and to recommend emphasizing teaching integration of the identified errors. The dominant errors were related to punctuation, capitalization, and incorrect verb forms, indicating a significant need for focused instruction in these areas to improve pupils' writing proficiency. In response to these findings, the study suggests developing targeted instructional materials that include structured lessons and practice exercises focusing on the most common errors. These resources should be integrated into the curriculum. Recommendations from the study emphasize the roles of various stakeholders in improving writing skills among pupils. Teachers should implement targeted instructional materials and attend professional development workshops. The school administration should support the integration of these materials and fund workshops while regularly assessing pupils' grammar skills. Pupils should engage actively in grammar lessons and seek feedback, and parents should encourage and support their children in practicing grammar skills at home. Policymakers and curriculum developers should incorporate the study's findings into national curriculum standards and allocate resources to support these initiatives. Future research should explore additional factors affecting grammar skills and the long-term impact of targeted instruction on overall academic performance.

Strengthening the military stoic tradition: enhancing resilience in military service members and public safety personnel through functional disconnection and reconnection.

This paper addresses operational stress injuries (OSIs) among military service members (SM) and public safety personnel (PSP) resulting from prolonged exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs). While psychotherapeutic interventions for post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSIs) are well established, there is a significant gap in evidence-based mental health training programs addressing proactive mitigation of negative outcomes from PPTEs. Building on the Functional Disconnection/Functional Reconnection (FD/FR) model, we introduce FD/FR 2, emphasizing early identification and management of psychological risks. FD/FR 2 discusses the practice of emotional suppression, or "pseudo-stoicism," and its potential negative impact on mental health. By integrating authentic Stoic principles, FD/FR 2 offers practical exercises to enhance resilience and well-being, addressing a critical need in current training approaches for military SM and PSP.

Abstract B124: Driving equity: Enhancing scientific workforce diversity through mentorship and grant writing workshops

Abstract A diverse scientific workforce fosters innovation, enhances global competitiveness, contributes to robust learning environments, improves the quality of research, advances the likelihood that historically underserved, or health disparity populations participate and benefit from health research, and enhances public trust. It isn’t merely their protected status that makes underrepresented minority scholars essential to a scientific workforce, but their culture, varying perspectives, creativity, and individual enterprise to address complex scientific problems. The Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, in collaboration with the Oklahoma Center for Mentoring Excellence, has implemented a grant- writing-focused mentorship program, D.R.I.V.E. (Developing Research Initiatives through Versatile Oncology Exploration). This program is tailored to underrepresented scholars who are predoctoral, postdoctoral fellows, or early-stage investigators. Developed in response to the growing need for underrepresented minorities in cancer research, the program aims to provide participants with both theoretical knowledge and practical experience in the grant writing process. The primary objectives of the D.R.I.V.E. program is to 1) discover and promote talented underrepresented scholars and researchers in the fields of cancer and cancer health disparities research, 2) establish an early career investigator mentorship program with a strong emphasis on grant writing, and 3) utilize Training Navigators (TNs) to oversee and monitor the advancement and productivity of recently identified prospective pipeline scholars. The program serves ten mentees by providing a workshop series of interactive sessions, including discussions and lectures led by a professional with extensive experience in securing research funding, practical exercises, and collaborative activities. Each participant will have a grant application ready for submission by the end of the program. Participants also receive support through pairing with one of five faculty mentors (grant-funded oncology researchers) while utilizing Training Navigators to oversee and monitor the advancement and productivity of the pipeline scholars. A post-program survey was sent to all D.R.I.V.E participants (n = 10) as an effort to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. Initial results indicate significant improvements in participants' confidence and skills in the grant writing process. Of those who completed the post-program survey (n = 7), everyone (100%) indicated that the DRIVE program exceeded their expectations, and everyone (100%) found the DRIVE mentors to be highly helpful in providing guidance and support. While only 71% of participants deemed the Training Navigator to be beneficial, 85% recognized clear opportunities for future collaboration. In conclusion, the D.R.I.V.E. program offers a comprehensive and engaging approach to professional development in the field of cancer research. Future iterations of the program will explore expanded content to further enhance learning outcomes. Citation Format: J'Lecia G. Jones, Natasha Mickel. Driving equity: Enhancing scientific workforce diversity through mentorship and grant writing workshops [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B124.

The Role of Scenario-Building in Risk Assessment and Decision-Making on Urban Water Reuse

Urban resilience and water resilience are both increasingly relying on urban non-potable water reuse under the context of the Climate Emergency, but sound risk assessment is lacking. Compared to the state of art, the proposed framework for health risk assessment and management of urban non-potable water reuse includes (i) an additional step for establishing the context and (ii) the risk identification step being extended to introduce a description of the activities from which the hazard exposure scenarios may be built. This novel scenario-building process allows for a clear and comprehensive risk description, assessment, and treatment. The model of risk management is structured around three primary components: the decision-makers, i.e., the municipal services and the population at risk (users and workers); data elements relevant for the risk management process (reclaimed water quality, hazards, hazardous events, sites where exposure can happen, exposure routes, and activities developed by the population at risk and their vulnerabilities); and the links between the decision-makers and these elements and between the elements themselves. Its application in a representative case study shows that the framework comprehensively guides decision-making and communication to relevant stakeholders. From this practical exercise, the main recommendations were derived for risk mitigation by the municipal risk manager and the park users.

Укрепление российской идентичности студенческой молодежи в процессе реализации дисциплины «Основы российской государственности»

The aim of the research is to determine the resources of the discipline “Fundamentals of Russian Statehood” for fostering a sense of belonging among student youth to the Russian state-civilization. The work reveals the essence of the concept of Russian identity and determines the basis for strengthening it among student youth. The scientific novelty lies in describing educational technologies and mechanisms for strengthening Russian civilizational identity among university students, developed during the classes in the analyzed discipline at the North Caucasus Federal University. As a result of the research, it is proven that the study of the discipline contributes to the development of all structural components of Russian identity through a competency-based approach. The importance of interactive teaching methods in shaping the emotional and behavioral levels of students’ awareness of their belonging to Russia as a state, as a society, and as a civilization is emphasized. The role of traditional lectures and practical exercises in shaping the cognitive component of Russian identity, which is basic and without which the development of other elements of its structure is impossible, is outlined.

Discrepancies between guidelines, preferences and actual activities in psychotherapy supervision

AbstractBackgroundClinical supervision, also known as consultation, is a key component of professional growth for psychotherapists, often involving activities like case discussions or practical exercises. However, the extent to which the content of supervision follows practice guidelines and whether supervision meets the preferences of psychotherapists is largely unclear.AimsThis study aimed to understand what psychotherapists prefer to do in clinical supervision and contrast that to what their supervision comprises. A secondary aim was to explore whether there were any differences in preferred activities between psychotherapists with different background variables, such as profession and training, and to examine associations between activities, supervision satisfaction and effectiveness.Materials &amp; MethodsPsychotherapists (N = 243, 84% women, mean age 46.3 years, SD = 10.6) completed an online survey regarding their supervision preferences and actual supervision activities.ResultsThe psychotherapists reported that formative activities, such as concrete exercises, discussing recorded material and modelling, were significantly more preferred than they were occurring in clinical supervision. The activities of teaching, modelling and discussions on emotional reactions, which are more associated with restoration, were associated with supervision satisfaction and competence. Psychotherapists with a cognitive behavioural therapy orientation preferred more active learning activities than other psychotherapists.ConclusionsOverall, neither the preferred nor the actual activities aligned with existing guidelines for supervision practices. Still, the therapists reported a preference for more experiential learning activities rather than more verbal activities.

Practical Knowledge and the Structural Challenge

Abstract Elizabeth Anscombe characterised practical knowledge as knowledge ‘in intention’. As Anscombe recognised, accepting this view involves rejecting certain basic orthodox epistemological assumptions. But even once this is done, a challenge remains for a conception of practical knowledge as knowledge ‘in intention’. For while practical knowledge would appear to be a kind of propositional knowledge, intentions would appear to be a kind of non-propositional attitude. I call this the ‘Structural Challenge’ for an intention-based account of practical knowledge. After rejecting two suggested responses – one which views intentions as propositional attitudes; one which views practical knowledge as non-propositional knowledge – I offer my own solution by showing how simply having and carrying out an intention to φ will ordinarily meet a plausible neutral condition on propositional knowledge. Knowing a fact will in general involve being mentally related to it via a successful exercise of relevant concepts. The account I develop turns on viewing a person’s carrying out an intention to φ as their constituting the fact that they are φ-ing, through a practical exercise of their concept of φ-ing. The resulting account sheds light both on the analogies, and on the crucial formal differences, between practical and theoretical knowledge.

An Assessment of the Administration of Teaching Practice in a Teacher Training Institution of Zimbabwe

This study sought to assess the administration of teaching practice in a primary education teacher training institution in Zimbabwe. The chosen population consisted of lecturers, school mentors and student teachers. Convenience sampling was used to select primary schools in Gwanda town. These were four in total. From these, purposive sampling was used to select heads of schools, teachers who were student-teacher mentors and student teachers who were in teaching practice. There were twelve teachers in total, and there were twelve student teachers. Purposive sampling was also applied to select lecturers who manned the chosen institution's teaching practice department. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the heads of schools and lecturers, while focus group discussion guides were used to gather data from teachers and student teachers, respectively. As one of the core findings, it unveiled that some students went for teaching practice inadequately prepared to meet associated demands. Furthermore, some mentors seemed burdened by constantly supervising the student teachers while at the same time executing other school duties done by other teachers who were not mentors. Based on these, the study recommends intensification of the assessment of the readiness of student teachers to engage in the teaching practice exercise before the institution releases them to schools. In addition, teachers who are assigned the role of student-teacher mentorship should be relieved of other school duties as this might enhance their commitment to student-teacher development.

Homework adherence in mindfulness-based cognitive interventions for female sexual dysfunction: a scoping review.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) includes regular home practice of mindfulness exercises as a key means of cultivating mindfulness. Although there are instruments available for measuring homework adherence following cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), little is known about measuring homework practice in MBCT studies for sexual dysfunction. In this review we sought to investigate which items and instruments are the most used for the assessment of homework adherence in studies evaluating MBCT for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction (FSD). We also investigated the types of homework used in these interventions. Five databases (PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Embase, and Web of Science) were searched and a total of 30 articles were included in this review. Our main findings revealed that there was no gold standard instrument used to assess homework adherence in patients using MBCT interventions for FSD, and that most of the reported studies did not provide information on how they assess homework adherence. Six of the 9 studies for which the articles reported how homework was assessed used only ad hoc measures. Only 3 studies used psychometrically validated instruments. We also found that mindfulness, psychoeducation, and CBT exercises were the most prescribed homework. This review uniquely integrates homework adherence measures with studies on FSD that evaluate mindfulness, finding no gold standard for assessing adherence. However, limitations including both MBCT and CBT interventions, limiting generalization to MBCT alone, the predominance of Western-based studies, and the lack of reporting on instruments used to assess adherence, indicating a gap in the field. Further studies should consider adapting existing instruments that assess homework adherence in studies of CBT for other psychopathologies or seek to develop new psychometrically validated instruments for MBCT interventions that assess homework adherence.