Behavioral Principles Research Articles

The Impact of Behavioural Framing Effects on Market Research Conversion Rates

The cause-and-effect relationship between incentives and market research response rates is well documented. In general, we understand that - mediated by factors such as privacy and difficulty - the greater the compensation offered to participants, the greater propensity for task completion. However, there is little understanding of how the way in which an incentive is communicated impacts results. We believe studying this field will help insight industry practitioners who are often challenged by limited or fixed incentive budgets. By exploring and ranking framing methods, we aim to recommend to researchers the tactical options that will maximise return on investment. In this initial exploration, we have narrowed framing choices to a set identified by the field of behavioural economics. In particular, we investigate the relative impact of: (1) financial incentives, (2) the endowment effect, (3) social proof, (4) altruism and, (5) financial incentives plus loss aversion. These conditions can be considered to broadly fit within one of three categories: (a) financial incentives alone, (b) behavioural principles alone, (c) financial incentives plus behavioural principles. To replicate the real-world challenges of insight professionals, this was tested in an experimental design that sought to recruit existing Aegon customers into a new research panel. The experimental case study format also lends itself to high volumes. The results of this study are based on 91,289 recruitment emails delivered to Aegon customers across various weekday mornings. Each email contained either neutral information regarding the incentive to join - the opportunity to win up to £250 - or the same message framed using one of the experimental methods in test. Messages were repeated both in the subject line and the email body. Results were measured and analysed at the points of: (A) email open, (B) email click, (C) conversion as defined by screener completion, (D) conversion as defined by panel account created, and (E) engagement as defined by completing at least one task on the panel eligible for a point reward within 3 months of signup. Additionally, the unsubscribe rate was measured and compared across all messages. Prior to the launch of the study, our hypotheses were that email communications which utitlised the endowment effect, social proof or altruism would lead to higher conversion rates than messages regarding incentivisation. Further, we hypothesised that emails which utilised both financial incentives plus loss aversion framing in an additive capacity would deliver the highest conversion rate. Our analysis led to a rejection of all hypotheses. Ultimately, it was concluded that none of the tested framing effects performed significantly better, as per chi-squared tests, than the financial incentive group across open rate, click rate, conversion rate or engagement rate. However, the addition of loss aversion performed on par with the incentive only group for panel engagement. Further, the use of loss aversion, altruism and the endowment effect all led to significantly lower unsubscribe rates than the incentive only group. This led to a nuanced conclusion which surmised that the loss aversion tactic, when used in an additive capacity to a financial incentive, appears to offer the most balanced risk profile for research professionals, whilst the endowment effect, social proof and altruism offer moderate to worse risk profiles. Finally, we highlight the need for more proof in this field - suggesting that future efforts replicate the study with a general population sample or non-financial services case studies.

A Digital Intervention Using Daily Financial Incentives to Increase Medication Adherence in Severe Mental Illness: Single-Arm Longitudinal Pilot Study.

BackgroundMedication nonadherence is prevalent in severe mental illness and is associated with multiple negative outcomes. Mobile technology and financial incentives show promise to improve medication adherence; however, studies in mental health, especially with oral medications, are lacking.ObjectiveThe aim of this paper is to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of offering financial incentives through a mobile app based on behavioral economics principles to improve medication adherence in severe mental illness.MethodsA 10-week, single-arm longitudinal pilot study was conducted. Patients earned rewards in the context of app-based adherence incentives. The reward was split into biweekly payments made in increments of US $15, minus any US $2 per day penalties for missed check-ins. Time-varying effect modeling was used to summarize the patients’ response during the study.ResultsA total of 25 patients were enrolled in this pilot study, of which 72% (n=18) were female, and 48% (n=12) were of a White racial background. Median age was 24 (Q1-Q3: 20.5-30) years. Participants were more frequently diagnosed with schizophrenia and related disorders (n=9, 36%), followed by major depressive disorder (n=8, 32%). App engagement and medication adherence in the first 2 weeks were higher than in the last 8 weeks of the study. At study endpoint, app engagement remained high (n=24, Z=–3.17; P<.001), but medication adherence was not different from baseline (n=24, Z=–0.59; P=.28).ConclusionsFinancial incentives were effectively delivered using an app and led to high engagement throughout the study and a significantly increased medication adherence for 2 weeks. Leveraging behavioral economics and mobile health technology can increase medication adherence in the short term.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04191876; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04191876

System Identification for the design of behavioral controllers in crowd evacuations

Behavioral modification using active instructions is a promising interventional method to optimize crowd evacuations. However, existing research efforts have been more focused on eliciting general principles of optimal behavior than providing explicit mechanisms to dynamically induce the desired behaviors, which could be claimed as a significant knowledge gap in crowd evacuation optimization. In particular, we propose using dynamic distance-keeping instructions to regulate pedestrian flows and improve safety and evacuation time. We investigate the viability of using Model Predictive Control (MPC) techniques to develop a behavioral controller that obtains the optimal distance-keeping instructions to modulate the pedestrian density at bottlenecks. System Identification is proposed as a general methodology to model crowd dynamics and build prediction models. Thus, for a testbed evacuation scenario and input–output data generated from designed microscopic simulations, we estimate a linear AutoRegressive eXogenous model (ARX), which is used as the prediction model in the MPC controller. A microscopic simulation framework is used to validate the proposal that embeds the designed MPC controller, tuned and refined in closed-loop using the ARX model as the Plant model. As a significant contribution, the proposed combination of MPC control and System Identification to model crowd dynamics appears ideally suited to develop realistic and practical control systems for controlling crowd motion. The flexibility of MPC control technology to impose constraints on control variables and include different disturbance models in the prediction model has confirmed its suitability in the design of behavioral controllers in crowd evacuations. We found that an adequate selection of output disturbance models in the predictor is critical in the type of responses given by the controller. Interestingly, it is expected that this proposal can be extended to different evacuation scenarios, control variables, control systems, and multiple-input multiple-output control structures.

Maintenance effects of a gamification intervention on motivation and physical activity in patients with coronary heart disease: intermediate results of a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Despite the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention, patients with coronary heart disease frequently fail to meet their daily physical activity goals. When one is stuck in a cycle of bad habits, changing one's behavior can be very challenging. One of the difficulties to maintaining a healthy lifestyle may be a lack of motivation. The use of game design elements (such as points, leaderboards, progress bars, and badges) in non-game contexts to promote motivation and engagement is known as gamification. It could be a powerful tool for encouraging patients to engage in physical activity. However, solid ideas that utilize the fundamental experience and psychological impacts of gaming mechanics must be built upon. Purpose The aim of this study is to look into the impact of a smartphone-based gamification intervention on physical activity engagement and other related psychological outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease, as well as the 24-week maintenance of effects beyond the 12-week intervention. Methods Participants with coronary heart disease were randomly assigned to three groups (control group, individual group and team group). The individual and team groups received gamified behavior intervention based on behavioral economic principles. Based on the Individual group, the team earned social incentives (collaboration). The intervention lasted 12 weeks, with another 12 weeks of follow-up. The primary outcomes included the change in daily steps and the proportion of patient-days that step goals achieved. The secondary outcomes included competence, autonomous, relatedness and autonomous motivation. Results The follow-up period has now been completed by 65 participants (mean age 52.8+10.3, 18.2% female) completed the follow-up period. Compared with the control group (n=17), participants in the individual group (n=25) had a significantly greater increase in mean daily steps from baseline during the intervention group (difference 956; 95% CI, 243–1623; P&amp;lt;0.01), and had a significantly greater proportion of patient-days that step goals achieved (difference 0.35; 95% CI, 0.03–0.12; P&amp;lt;0.001), competence (difference 0.5, 95% CI, 0.3–0.7; P&amp;lt;0.001), autonomous motivation (difference 3.2; 95% CI, 2.0–4.0; P&amp;lt;0.001). However, no significant difference of change in step counts was found between team group (n=23) and control group. During the follow-up period, mean daily steps and autonomous motivation in the individual declined but remained significantly greater than that in the control arm compared with baseline (steps: difference 452; 95% CI, 138–818; P&amp;lt;0.05) (motivation: difference 1.2; 95% CI, 0.3–1.8; P&amp;lt;0.05). Conclusions A smartphone-based gamification intervention was found to be an effective strategy to enhance motivation and physical activity engagement, as well as having a great maintenance effect. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): This work is financially supported by a Construction Programme of Independent Innovation Ability of Community Health Nursing Engineering Laboratory in Jilin Province (Study code: 2020C038-8) awarded to FL.

Does South Korea Exercise Middle-Power Diplomacy Toward Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan?

It is widely accepted that South Korea has obtained middle-power status because it has fulfilled the necessary behavioral principles in its diplomacy. Even though the Republic of Korea is an active player in Central Asia, the topic of relationships between South Korea and Central Asian republics has barely been explored. Using case studies, the author attempts to evaluate how much South Korea’s policy matches its middle-power status in relationships with two major partners in the region—Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The author concludes that South Korea’s policy toward the two Central Asian partners only partly matches middle-power behavior criteria. The article discusses the practical obstacles to South Korea’s middle-power diplomacy toward Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and elaborates on the shortcomings of the middle-power concept as an analytical framework.

Provisions of Disciplinary Sanctions in Islamic Jurisprudence

We note the large spread of cases of administrative corruption, bribery and nepotism among workers in different sectors, and that holding workers accountable and following them up, makes them keen to make effort and take responsibility, and maintain the principles of functional behavior that they have pledged, and in the event of transgression and violation of these principles, disciplinary penalties and deterrent penalties approved by Islam is a protection for public money and to prevent fraud and the spread of corruption, in order to achieve justice and safety in the Muslim community. The problem of the research lies in the large spread of administrative corruption in Muslim societies, despite the application of man-made laws, and the laxity of workers in committing violations in the absence of a deterrent penal system, so this research was to answer the following questions: On the workers, and what are the legal evidences on their application, and what are the legitimate purposes of applying disciplinary sanctions. The aim of the research: The research aims to highlight the most important disciplinary provisions in Islamic jurisprudence, and to clarify the sayings of jurists in them and the relationship of these provisions with legitimate purposes, and the impact of the application of these provisions on community development. The importance of the research: The research is concerned with highlighting the relationship between the application of disciplinary provisions to workers and community development, and clarifying the areas of application of jurisprudence rules in disciplinary sanctions and their role in spreading safety and eliminating administrative corruption. Research Methodology: I used the inductive method in the research in addition to the descriptive analytical method in viewing and summarizing, Including: the necessity of applying Sharia disciplinary provisions, preventing the appointment of abnormal groups in Muslim societies, working to achieve justice and spreading safety to achieve development in society, observing sincerity and honesty in following up on workers, looking into the grievances of workers and dealers to prevent harm to others, employing modern technologies and the virtual world in Deter the excesses of workers and administrators alike The research concluded with a list of sources and references. Keywords: disciplinary, provisions, legitimacy, rules, jurisprudence, purposes, corruption, development.

Mediation Principles in the Civil Society and Features of Their Application in the Educational Environment of Ukraine

Aim. The main purpose of research presented in this article is to analyse mediation principles as an alternative way of dispute resolution and features of their application in the educational environment of Ukraine. For which purpose it was necessary to perform the following tasks: - the concept and role of mediation principles were studied; - certain types of mediation principles were defined; - the essence and significance of the most important mediation principles were revealed; - and the application of mediation principles in Ukraine was clarified. In Ukraine, civil society institutions have been trying on their own to introduce and promote mediation as a way of alternative dispute resolution. However, systemic problems of access to justice require finding other ways to resolve conflict situations. Mediation becomes especially relevant in the context of COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, when access to the court system is limited. Methods. The study is based on the analysis of enacted regulations and their comparison in different countries, as well as information obtained from the study of literature, including works by authors of both legal and other social sciences where mediation is used as a means of compromise, including psychology, medicine, ecology, along with the use of tools and comments specific to the study of law. To study the prospects and effective application of mediation principles in the educational environment, sociological surveys of various participants of the educational process were conducted. Results. The results of study showed that certain types of mediation principles are applied in different countries taking into account the peculiarities of national legal systems. Notwithstanding, such principles as the rule of law, the principle of equality (equal rights) of the parties, the principle of voluntariness, confidentiality and mediator behaviour (independence and impartiality, trust and justice) are applied in most of the studied national models of mediation, consequently they can be called fundamental. The survey results have revealed the readiness of the educational environment to introduce mediation as a tool for resolving conflicts in the educational environment. In Ukraine, the draft law “On Mediation” defines general principles of mediation; however, the problem is insufficiently clear criteria for disputes that cannot be transferred to mediation. In addition, the principle of the rule of law should be defined as one of the fundamental principles of mediation. Conclusions. The specifics of the implementation of mediation principles in Ukraine and their correlation with the principles of the judicial process require further research.

Scientific Research Conformity of University Teachers: Role of Incentives and Internal Attribution.

Background: Conformity is a process by which a person changes his original idea and attitude in response to group pressure and chooses to be consistent with the majority. The study was undertaken to explore university teachers’ scientific research conformity (SRC), the psychological process of information processing and the types of internal attribution in SRC, and the relationship between SRC incentives and types of internal attribution. Method: A survey of 349 teachers from seven universities was conducted. We employed the mixed-method approach; data was collected through in-depth interviews and were analyzed using AMOS. Results: In-depth interviews revealed that the basic principle of human organizational behavior is conformity with incentive, and conformity is a motivational behavior produced through psychological processing of social information. Factor analysis results revealed that teachers’ SRC is characterized by abidance, compliance, and obedience. The internal incentives mainly affect abidance, and have a significant impact on obedience and compliance; the environmental incentives mainly affect abidance, and have a significant impact on obedience. Family and social relationship incentives mainly affect compliance, but social relationship incentives also have a significant impact on obedience. Additionally, policy incentives have a highly significant impact on obedience. Conclusions: This study provides first-hand empirical data for studies pertaining to research motivation and SRC behavior of Chinese university teachers. It also provides a theoretical basis for subsequent research on conformity behavior.

Psychosocial interventions with art and music during stem cell transplantation: An integrative review.

The objective of this study is to systematically review the literature with the following aims: to survey the art and music interventions offered to the stem cell transplant population; to define the interventions' beneficial properties by conceptualising themes; to analyse these themes using behavioural activation principles as a lens and explore their value in alleviating isolation-related distress. Patients undergoing stem cell transplant are at great risk of psychological morbidity, partly on account of prolonged hospital stays in protective isolation. This risk extends beyond discharge and into ambulatory care, negatively affecting quality-of-life and survival rates of the transplant recipients. Integrative review methodology. A systematic search of 10 bibliographic databases was undertaken using terms relating to art, music and stem cell transplantation for the years 2012 to 2019. Records were assessed for quality and risk-of-bias using a critical appraisal tool and following the PRISMA Systematic Review checklist to guide reporting. Studies were analysed narratively and thematically. The 16 papers were of mixed quality. Findings and treatment effects differed between and within studies. The beneficial attributes of the treatments were clustered and divided into two groups. The first consisted of intrinsic, patient-focussed factors: (1) Creative outlet or acquisition of a new skill; (2) achievement of normality; (3) mutual or peer-support; (4) relationship-building and (5) meaningful recreation, distraction and diversion. The second group considered extrinsic factors: (6) Improved communication; (7) enhanced spiritual care and (8) better healthcare experience. Several art and music interventions have been attempted which were beneficial to patients and generated a sense of achievement, connection and enjoyment. The interventions appear to uphold the principles of person-centred holistic care and have potential to generate a high-quality, supportive healthcare and working environment. Psychosocial interventions with art and music have improved the care and experience of patients undergoing stem cell transplant.

Impact of Three Kinds of Early Interventions on Developmental Profile in Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a rising prevalence disorder. This high-cost/high-burden condition needs evidence-based behavioral treatments that are able to reduce the impact of symptoms on children’s functioning. This retrospective chart review study compared the impact of different types of early interventions on toddlers diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder developmental profile. Analyses were conducted on 90 subjects (mean = 27.76 months, range 18–44 months; M:F = 4.29:1), of which 36 children underwent the usual treatment, 13 children underwent an intervention based on early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) and 41 children received the Early Start Denver Model, for one year, with the same weekly frequency of about 6 h a week. A significant decrease in the severity of autism symptoms was observed for all children when looking at the Ados-2 severity score (average difference = 3.05, SD = 0.71, p = < 0.001) and the Ados-2 social subscale (average difference = 2.87, SD = 0.59, p < 0.001). Otherwise, for most of the Griffiths subscales, we found a significant improvement only for those children who underwent the Early Start Denver Model intervention (General Quotient average difference = 14.47, SD = 3.22, corrected p < 0.001). Analyzing the influence of age on the investigated scores, we found a significant association with the Eye–hand Coordination Quotient (p = 0.003), Performance Quotient (p = 0.042) and General Quotient (p = 0.006). In all these domains, a mild negative correlation with age was observed, as measured by the Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r = −0.32, p = 0.002; r = −0.21, p = 0.044; r = −0.25, p = 0.019, respectively), suggesting less severe developmental skills at the start of treatment for older children. Our results are consistent with the literature that underlines the importance of early intervention, since prompt diagnosis can reduce the severity of autism symptoms; nevertheless, in toddlers, our study demonstrated that an intervention model based on naturalistic developmental behavioral principles such as the Early Start Denver Model is more effective on children’s developmental profile. Further studies are required to assess the extent of effectiveness of different early intervention models in community settings.

The Correlation between Perception of Patient Safety and Professionalism and Adherence to Interprofessional Professionalism among Members of the Surgical Team

Introduction: Patient safety training and principles of professional commitment are considered as the most important skills in medical science education systems. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of determining the relationship between adherence to interprofessional professionalism and understanding of patient safety and professional commitment among surgical team members in one of the teaching hospitals affiliated to Qom University of Medical Sciences.&#x0D; Methods: This study is a descriptive-analytical study. The participants were 108 personnel working in the operating room and students of the operating room and intelligence in the field, who were included in the study as a census. In this study, two questionnaires were used: "Assessment of Interprofessional Professionalism" and "Questionnaire of Understanding of Patient Safety". The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics methods.&#x0D; Result: The results of the regression test showed that all areas of interprofessional behavior have a significant effect on the participants' understanding of patient safety (p&lt;0.05). Pearson's test showed that there was a significant relationship between the scores of the safety culture field in the patient safety understanding questionnaire and the scores of the interprofessional character fields. (p&lt; 0.05)&#x0D; Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between the scores of people's adherence to the principles of interprofessional behavior and their understanding of patient safety. Therefore, it can be said that the development of interprofessional character proficiencies of health team members can significantly increase their understanding of compliance with safety principles.

Evaluation of a School-Based Headsprout Intervention for Improving Literacy

Headsprout Early Reading is a computer-based program designed on behavioral principles to enhance the basic skills that underpin the initial development of reading. In a within and between groups design, and using primary schools within Northern Ireland that had a currently high proportion of disadvantaged pupils, children who were behind their peers in progress with reading were randomly allocated to an intervention group (n = 79), where the target was to work through 80 reading training episodes within a school year, or a teaching as usual group (n = 44). Reading skills were assessed in all children before, at the midpoint, and after the intervention using a flashcard-based phonics identification test with three levels of difficulty, and before and after intervention using a standardized reading assessment, which generated a sentence reading age and a phonics reading age. Both groups showed increased scores on all measures over the 6 months of the study, but the intervention group showed markedly greater improvement. Importantly, the mean scores on sentence reading age and phonics reading age for the intervention group increased by over 17 months and 12.1 months, respectively, as opposed to 7.6 months and 7.8 months with the control group. These findings also validated the use of the flashcard-based phonics identification test with this population. This study indicates that widespread use of Headsprout Early Reading in mainstream education could be highly effective.

Teaching Graduate Students to Translate Nonbehavioral Treatments Into Behavioral Principles.

Behavior analytic translations of nonbehavioral treatments were recommended by Brodhead in Behavior Analysis in Practice, 8(1), 70-78 (2015) as part of a decision-making framework for practitioners working on interprofessional treatment teams. Professionals from different disciplines often have overlapping scopes of practice and competence, yet each recommends interventions according to their discipline-specific worldview and training. Nonbehavioral treatment recommendations may be especially challenging for behavior analytic practitioners who are committed to the science of human behavior and who are also ethically obligated to work cooperatively and in the best interest of the client. Learning to translate nonbehavioral treatments into behavior analytic principles and procedures may function as a valuable means of improving professional judgment, thereby promoting evidence-based practice and effective collaboration. Behavioral translations may expose procedures that are, in fact, conceptually systematic, creating more opportunities for behavior analysts to partner in interprofessional care. Using a behavioral skills training package, graduate students of applied behavior analysis were taught to translate nonbehavioral treatments into behavior analytic principles and procedures. All students produced more comprehensive translations following training.

Balancing the segmentation and behavioral principles towards acquiring customer insight.

Digitalization and decentralization within the energy market provide consumers with new opportunities. The trend consequently requires the transformation of energy suppliers’ portfolios beyond energy supply and towards overall household management within business to the customer market. This segment is especially challenging due to its size and variability in habits or behavior related to household management, which includes not only energy supplies but also insurance issues, appliances operations, and service. This study examines, customers’ behavior and their responses to offers of products and services related to household management based on an intrapersonal factor of “age” as an easily accessible and precise type of data about consumers. Dataset examined contains data of customers, who were addressed repeatedly during 24 months from 2019 until 2020 by e-mail offers from a supplier of products and services related to household management. Our results show, that even the age needs to be combined with other factors influencing the decision-making process, it involves the potential to provide vendors insights to improve their targeting and increase the effectiveness in communication with customers.

Grounding applied animal behavior practices in the experimental analysis of behavior.

Some of the earliest applications outside the laboratory of principles derived from the experimental analysis of behavior (EAB), such as the pioneering work of Keller and Marian Breland, involved animals. This translational tradition continues to the present as EAB-related behavior principles are applied with increasing frequency to behavior management and training practices with animals in nonlaboratory settings. Such translations, and those populations to which they are applied, benefit from a rigorous experimental analysis of practices that are promulgated in popular outlets. These translations both affirm the generality of those principles and serve as goads for laboratory and field research that can further articulate extant principles, develop new ones, and refine methods of application and assessment. This review considered several areas of basic EAB research and contemporary applied animal behavior (AAB) practices in relation to one another: (1) response establishment and maintenance, (2) response reduction and elimination, (3) chaining and conditioned reinforcement, and (4) discriminative stimulus control. Within each topic, a selection of processes and procedures in both EAB and AAB work were reviewed in relation to one another.

Heating and cooling networks: A comprehensive review of modelling approaches to map future directions

Future energy systems rely on integrating renewable energy resources to decarbonise the heating and cooling sectors and contribute to global net zero targets. Traditional approaches to energy modelling are segregated as focus tends to be on individual objectives such as minimising operational cost. Furthermore, they are limited with respect to computational time, level of precision and scalability. Model complexity is greater for district heating and cooling systems when compared to power systems due to the thermal behaviour and fluid dynamic principles which are present. Prevailing research tends to deliver a detailed analysis of specific elements within the network, but an approach for visualising the whole system is still missing. This study aims to evaluate the current tools and techniques used to model heating and cooling networks and then propose a more up to date hybrid approach that utilises recent technical advancements. A detailed literature review outlines existing modelling methods and assesses the capabilities of available software tools. The results are summarised in a Pugh Matrix using relevant criteria to compare and select the most appropriate methods. The review concludes that energy models must evolve to become interdisciplinary and multi-objective to simulate a smart energy system.

The Processes of Adaptation, Assimilation and Integration in the Country of Migration: A Psychosocial Perspective on Place Identity Changes

In the process of migration, the migrant goes through certain stages and a series of transformations that leave their mark on their individuality over time. These unavoidable processes, adaptation, assimilation, and eventually integration, as well as numerous other factors, lead to changes in identity. The concept addressed in the paper, which supports the understanding of the process of change, is that of acculturation. Acculturation is the process by which an individual acquires and adapts to a new cultural environment as a result of being placed in a new culture. The theoretical approach led to an objective understanding of the process of identity change in a given context. Symbolic interactionism theory aims to reveal the internal mechanisms of identity formation by overcoming the opposition between the individual and the collective, and ethno-linguistic identity theory posits that when faced with alternative courses of action, individuals will choose the one that will enhance their self-presentation. The aim of this article is to examine identity-level changes in migrants who have undergone the processes of adaptation, assimilation, and integration in the country of migration from a psychosocial perspective. In order to achieve this aim, an interview with 30 Romanians who emigrated abroad was conducted. Based on a conceptual and methodological framework, the present article carried out a thematic analysis in which the most significant changes in mentality, thinking, self-esteem, principles of life, culture, attitude and behavior, identity place/space, etc. were highlighted through concrete quotes from the interviews with the migrants, all of which were explained through the identity-migration theory.

Effectiveness of the internet based parent education program on applied behavior analysis for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundParent education (PE) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is recognized as an important component of support for families living with ASD. Specifically, the knowledge of how to interact with children based on applied behavior analysis (ABA) is useful for parents. In this study, a short-term, internet based on-demand PE program was conducted for parents of children with ASD to acquire knowledge of ABA and basic teaching techniques. MethodsParents of children with ASD were recruited as study participants. They attended on-demand lectures from their homes, performed homework tasks based on lecture content and emailed them to our team. The General Health Questionnaire 30 (GHQ) and Knowledge of Behavioral Principle as Applied to Children (KBPAC) were assessed before and after the program. ResultsOf the 25 participants, 21 attended all programs and completed all homework tasks and pre- and post-assessments. However, communication among participants via the bulletin board was low. KBPAC scores increased significantly from pre- to post-program scores, and GHQ subscales regarding anxiety and mood modulation decreased significantly from pre- to post-program scores. Positive results were obtained in the post-questionnaires as well. ConclusionThese findings suggest the practical applicability of an online PE program for parents of children with ASD based on ABA.

Protocol for an automated, pragmatic, embedded, adaptive randomised controlled trial: behavioural economics-informed mobile phone-based reminder messages to improve clinic attendance in a Botswanan school-based vision screening programme

BackgroundClinic non-attendance rates are high across the African continent. Emerging evidence suggests that phone-based reminder messages could make a small but important contribution to reducing non-attendance. We will use behavioural economics principles to develop an SMS and voice reminder message to improve attendance rates in a school-based eye screening programme in Botswana.MethodsWe will test a new theory-informed SMS and voice reminder message in a national school-based eye screening programme in Botswana. The control will be the standard SMS message used to remind parents/guardians to bring their child for ophthalmic assessment. All messages will be sent twice. The primary outcome is attendance for ophthalmic assessment. We will use an automated adaptive approach, starting with a 1:1 allocation ratio.DiscussionAs far as we are aware, only one other study has used behavioural economics to inform the development of reminder messages to be deployed in an African healthcare setting. Our study will use an adaptive trial design, embedded in a national screening programme. Our approach can be used to trial other forms of reminder message in the future.Trial registrationISRCTN https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN96528723. Registered on 5 January 2022.

Pinpointing, measurement, procedural integrity, and maintenance in organizational behavior management

ABSTRACT Organizational behavior management (OBM) is the application of behavioral principles to individuals and groups working in business, industry, government, and human service settings. In this paper, we describe OBM methodology in research and practice, highlighting pinpointing, measurement of performance, procedural integrity, and maintenance. We conclude by noting some limitations of contemporary OBM methodology and by suggesting some topics for future research.