Problem Research Articles

Shades of acceptance and adjustment; a discursive psychological analysis to showcase empathy in medical students

BackgroundEmpathy is a crucial prosocial behaviour. Medical education greatly emphasizes fostering empathy as a positive aspect of personal and professional development. Moreover, empathic practitioners produce improved patient care and clinical outcomes. However, medical schools often struggle to nurture empathetic behaviours among students despite a proclaimed empathy cultivating curricula. Research reveals complex patterns in empathy development among medical students, with disparities in adoptions across academic years. In this study, we explored how empathy is perceived during undergraduate medical training.MethodsThis qualitative study was conducted with medical students using focused group discussions and structured interview questions. These were developed according to the perceived behavioural construct of the theory of planned behaviour. Data was analysed using critical discursive psychology to identify students' use of language and shifting understandings about empathy.ResultsOur analysis showed that empathy is not a static trait but a complex and evolving process comprising two primary repertoires: Acceptance, where students passively adopt existing norms, and Adjustment, where they actively recalibrate their emotional responses to maintain genuine empathy.We identified that students take on five-character roles (confident beginner, passive observer, reflective learner, problem solver, and autonomous learner) while justifying their intentional choices.ConclusionThese findings highlight insights concerning students' perceptions of empathy enactment, ranging from acceptance to adjustment. These constructs indicate students’ ability to engage in clinical practices, perceive their roles as future doctors, and express their emotions. Medical educators should guide students in moving from passive acceptance to active adjustment by encouraging emotional awareness and by promoting diverse interpretations that support the development of empathetic professionals.

An interdisciplinary, co-teaching approach to a course in urban social-ecological systems

Integrating the social sciences into an undergraduate urban ecology course helps students gain interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to address critical sustainability challenges. We therefore designed a co-taught social-ecological systems course that combines different disciplines to engage students in our main goals of fostering personal connections with cities, integrating humans into the ecology “in” and “of” cities, exploring environmental injustice with multiple perspectives, and representing social-ecological systems for communication and decision-making. Here we describe our context and content for specific teaching activities, and reflections on the experiences of co-teaching this course. Integrating ecological and social sciences provides broad, diverse perspectives on urban systems and emphasizes the interconnections and feedbacks between humans and the urban environment. This allows us to teach students complex problem solving by synthesizing information across different perspectives and using real-world situations while deepening their understanding of the relationships between ecological, social, political, and economic systems.

ESR Essentials: pseudolesions in head and neck-practice recommendations by the European Society of Head and Neck Radiology.

The differentiation between pathological and physiological entities constitutes a fundamental aspect of daily radiological practice. Pseudolesions manifest as a transient phenomenon within this spectrum, displaying features of pathology within the context of normal or variant anatomy. A variety of structures, including vascular components, ectopic formations, or deviations from typical developmental patterns, can mimic pathological entities. It is crucial to discern between the two: lesions warranting treatment or ongoing radiological monitoring and pseudolesions where further analysis or treatment is unnecessary. Radiology plays a key role in classifying these entities. Comprehensive knowledge and accurate assessment of head and neck pseudolesions are necessary for radiologists to avoid unnecessary further diagnostic tests, treatments, and distress for the patient. KEY POINTS: Pseudolesions are an aspect of typical anatomy. Ectopic structures will have the same intensity/density no matter the location. Pursuit of a vascular origin can be a problem solver. Incorporate pseudolesions in the report.

Are text comprehension and calculation processes in word problem solving sequential or interactive? An eye-tracking study in children.

The difficulty of a word problem is influenced by both linguistic and arithmetic processes. However, whether these processes are sequential or interactive is a matter of debate. Little is known about how eye-movement behaviour changes when faced with different linguistic and arithmetic task characteristics, both in relation to the entire problem and to specific components (i.e., numerical and textual elements). To address this gap, we conducted a study monitoring the eye movements of children aged 10-13 years during word problem solving. We manipulated linguistic and arithmetic task characteristics independently, focusing on the mathematical factor operation (addition/subtraction) and the linguistic factors consistency (consistent/inconsistent) and nominalization (verbalized/nominalized). The results revealed that eye movements generally increased as linguistic difficulty (e.g., nominalization) or arithmetic difficulty (e.g., operation) increased. Thereby, specific parts of the text were differentially affected based on the task characteristics. Increasing arithmetic difficulty led to a shift in eye movements towards numerical elements, while increasing linguistic difficulty resulted in a shift towards textual elements. Interestingly, the increase in arithmetic difficulty also influenced processing in the linguistic domain. For example, textual parts of the word problem received more fixations when the arithmetic difficulty increased, but not vice versa. This suggests that text comprehension and calculation processes in word problem solving are not separate and not strictly sequential; instead, they interact and/or do partially rely on shared cognitive resources. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Exploring the Use of Social Media for Medical Problem Solving by Analyzing the Subreddit r/medical_advice: Quantitative Analysis.

The advent of the internet has transformed the landscape of health information acquisition and sharing. Reddit has become a hub for such activities, such as the subreddit r/medical_advice, affecting patients' knowledge and decision-making. While the popularity of these platforms is recognized, research into the interactions and content within these communities remains sparse. Understanding the dynamics of these platforms is crucial for improving online health information quality. This study aims to quantitatively analyze the subreddit r/medical_advice to characterize the medical questions posed and the demographics of individuals providing answers. Insights into the subreddit's user engagement, information-seeking behavior, and the quality of shared information will contribute to the existing body of literature on health information seeking in the digital era. A cross-sectional study was conducted, examining all posts and top comments from r/medical_advice since its creation on October 1, 2011. Data were collected on March 2, 2023, from pushhift.io, and the analysis included post and author flairs, scores, and engagement metrics. Statistical analyses were performed using RStudio and GraphPad Prism 9.0. From October 2011 to March 2023, a total of 201,680 posts and 721,882 comments were analyzed. After excluding autogenerated posts and comments, 194,678 posts and 528,383 comments remained for analysis. A total of 41% (77,529/194,678) of posts had no user flairs, while only 0.1% (108/194,678) of posts were made by verified medical professionals. The average engagement per post was a score of 2 (SD 7.03) and 3.32 (SD 4.89) comments. In period 2, urgent questions and those with level-10 pain reported higher engagement, with significant differences in scores and comments based on flair type (P<.001). Period 3 saw the highest engagement in posts related to pregnancy and the lowest in posts about bones, joints, or ligaments. Media inclusion significantly increased engagement, with video posts receiving the highest interaction (P<.001). The study reveals a significant engagement with r/medical_advice, with user interactions influenced by the type of query and the inclusion of visual media. High engagement with posts about pregnancy and urgent medical queries reflects a focused public interest and the subreddit's role as a preliminary health information resource. The predominance of nonverified medical professionals providing information highlights a shift toward community-based knowledge exchange, though it raises questions about the reliability of the information. Future research should explore cross-platform behaviors and the impact of misinformation on public health. Effective moderation and the involvement of verified medical professionals are recommended to enhance the subreddit's role as a reliable health information resource.

Supplemental Material for Are Text Comprehension and Calculation Processes in Word Problem Solving Sequential or Interactive? An Eye-Tracking Study in Children

Supplemental Material for Are Text Comprehension and Calculation Processes in Word Problem Solving Sequential or Interactive? An Eye-Tracking Study in Children

Family functioning of pre-schoolers and its relationship with prosocial behaviour: latent profile analysis and network perspective

ABSTRACT This study aimed to examine the distinct patterns of family functioning and their associations with pre-schoolers' prosocial behaviour. A total of 1336 pre-schoolers (mean age = 4.81 years) were selected. The results of the latent profile analysis revealed that family functioning was categorized into three types: low, average, and high. The results of the network analysis showed that the central node in the network structure of family functioning and prosocial behaviour was “communication,” which had the highest expected impact index across all three categories. Furthermore, in the low family functioning category, “consideration for others” emerged as a key factor. In the average family functioning category, “affective involvement” and “willingness to help others” were key factors. In the high family functioning category, “problem solving” emerged as the primary factor. These findings provide valuable insights for developing targeted family interventions and guiding future research into the mechanisms underlying positive child development.

Fostering a Sustainable Ecosystem in Digitised Higher Education Through Circular Economy Models

In recent studies of competency-based curriculum, there have been five key circular competencies in education: a. systematic thinking and problem solving, b. collaboration and ethical leadership, c. innovation and creativity, d. digital and technical literacy, e., sustainability awareness and global responsibility. These had been identified through research-based studies in India. We set out to assess to what extent this set of five competencies can be followed and implemented by integrating a circular economy. Circular economy (CE) models have revolutionised entrepreneurial sustainability by fostering resource efficiency, waste reduction, and innovation across various sectors. As the global shift toward sustainability redefines how businesses and institutions approach growth, CE has emerged as a transformative framework for minimising waste and creating long-term value. Concurrently, digital education advancements are pivotal in preparing entrepreneurs to embrace and implement these sustainable practices effectively. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, and immersive learning platforms are examples of emerging technologies that are changing educational approaches and making learning experiences more dynamic and accessible while meeting the changing needs of sustainable business. This paper explores the synergy between circular economy principles and digital education innovations, analysing their collective impact on transforming entrepreneurial sustainability. It highlights key strategies, technological advancements, and best practices that empower entrepreneurs to integrate sustainability into business models. Furthermore, the paper discusses challenges and opportunities within this paradigm shift, offering insights into how digital education can accelerate the adoption of circular economy frameworks. This study underscores the potential for a more resilient and regenerative entrepreneurial ecosystem by bridging the gap between sustainability and technological innovation.

Patient Safety Culture and Perceived Self-Efficacy in Nurses from Two Health Institucions in Lima-Peru

Objective: To determine the relationship between patient safety management and self-efficacy in nursing professionals from two health facilities. Methodology: Quantitative, correlational and cross-sectional study, not experimental. The population was made up of 200 nurses who work in health facilities; two instruments were applied: Hospital Survey on Patient Safety and Generalized Self-efficacy. Results and Discussion: show that 64% have a low level of self-efficacy, 27% have a medium self-efficacy and 9% have high self-efficacy. Regarding the perception of the achievement of goals, 63% is low, 23% is medium and 14% is high. Regarding problem solving, 53% are at a low level, 31% at a medium level and 6% at a high level. Regarding self-confidence in the context of patient safety management, 65.5% had a low level, 27.5% a medium level and a high level of 7%. Conclusions: In self-efficacy we can see that a minority feels highly competent in the management of patient safety, to meet objectives, or perceives themselves effective in the management of challenging situations and very few feel confident in their ability to perform well in this area. Research Implications: The findings indicate the need for nurse education programs that improve self-efficacy and patient safety management, which could result in safer care and greater job satisfaction. Originality/Value: The research offers an innovative approach by identifying low levels of self-efficacy and self-confidence, highlighting key areas for professional development. By providing data on the perception of nurses, it contributes to the discussion on the importance of training and support in the health sector.

Effective problem solving in logistics with new framework for connecting problems and metaheuristics

Effective problem solving in logistics with new framework for connecting problems and metaheuristics

Teacher Intervention During Collaborative Problem Solving in Mathematics Classrooms in Mainland China

In the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015, students from four cities/provinces in mainland China performed worse in collaborative problem solving (CPS) than in other subjects. While student collaboration has been widely implemented in Chinese classrooms for over two decades, empirical research on teachers’ roles and interventions remains quite scarce. Influenced by international educational reform in the 21st century, educators have developed and made widespread use of open-ended tasks, perceived as more suitable for CPS, during mathematics lessons. In this study, we investigate the effect of teacher intervention during pair and small group CPS using a quasi-experiment with four teachers from eight classes. We then selected typical cases and analysed their effect on task performance regarding intervention focus and means. The result showed that three of the four teachers’ interventions proved effective. The most and least effective teachers were selected for the case study. We discuss teacher intervention’s effect in emphasising social activities and diagnosing. Considering the difference in authority between teachers in Chinese/Western classrooms, we discuss intervention styles and offer suggestions for choosing and carefully implementing appropriate forms of collaborative activities.

ARMOD e-module for pre-service teachers: Boosting analytical thinking skills and digital literacy of bioinformatics

The rapid development of data and technology in science encourages the collaboration of various disciplines to produce new branches of science, one of which is Bioinformatics, which studies molecular biology data stored in digital databases. The process of studying digital data requires special skills, such as analytical thinking skills and digital literacy. Efforts are needed to improve these two skills, one of which is by applying innovative teaching materials in project-based learning (PjBL). This study aims to determine the effect of the application of ARMOD E-Module teaching materials in PjBL on these two skills. Research with quasi-experimental methods and pretest-posttest control group design was conducted on students of the UNJ biology education study programme. The results showed that the application of ARMOD E-Module in PjBL can increase the average post-test in the aspects of segmentation ability, ability to connect system functions, ability to compare, ability to evaluate which are aspects of analytical thinking. The average post-test increases also occurred in the aspects of information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, security, and problem solving which are all aspects of digital literacy. The results of the one-way MANOVA test between the experimental class and the control class were 0.026, indicating a significant difference. The significant difference is thought to be due to the innovative features of teaching materials used in learning bioinformatics.

Toxic university: the relationships between instructor job satisfaction, burnout, conflict resolution styles, and intentions to quit

ABSTRACT This study examined the relationships between teacher job satisfaction, burnout, conflict resolution styles, and intentions to quit their university position. Instructors completed an online survey on the aforementioned variables. Results demonstrated that higher job satisfaction was associated with greater personal achievement and positive problem solving and lower emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and intentions to quit. In line with the Job Demands-Resources Model, instructors reporting greater levels of burnout in the form of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization also reported increases in withdrawal and compliance conflict resolution styles. Notably, burnout dimensions (64.16%) were a stronger predictor of intentions to quit than job satisfaction (35.84%), the compliance conflict style (45.40%) was a significant predictor of quitting intentions, and the positive problem solving conflict style (41.22%) significantly predicted college educators’ reduced intentions to quit their job.

Ishikawa Diagram as a Tool for Resolving and Mapping the Causing Factors of Problems

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are one of the leading causes of death in the world, especially in low- and middle-income countries. To overcome this problem, NCD prevention and control programs, such as Integrated Non-Communicable Disease Services, have been implemented by the government. However, the implementation of this program faces various obstacles that affect its effectiveness. This study aims to analyze the obstacles in the implementation of the NCD program using the Ishikawa diagram. This diagram helps identify complex factors that cause problems, which are grouped into six main categories: Methods, materials, environment, people, facilities and measurements. The results of the analysis show that the main problems include lack of socialization to the community, limited resources, busy community culture, lack of training for cadres, and limited funds. By using the Ishikawa diagram, problem solving can be done systematically and collaboratively, which can increase the effectiveness of the NCD program in preventing and controlling NCDs in the community.

Peningkatan Potensi Desa Loleng Melalui Program Kegiatan Kuliah Kerja Nyata Angkatan 49 Tahun 2023

Kuliah Kerja Nyata (KKN) or community services is a process of student service to the community by conducting activities that go directly to the community. The problems that will be raised in the Community Service Program through KKN 2023 Mulawarman University are increasing public awareness about the prevention of stunting in the Loleng Village community, increasing public awareness about environmental cleanliness by holding gotong royong and increasing the creativity of loleng village children to utilise plastic waste into useful items. This community service programme aims to raise awareness of the Loleng Village community and train the creativity of Loleng Village children. The community service programme was conducted in Loleng village from 2 July to 20 August 2023 using the field method. Meetings of all group members with loleng village field assistants were conducted offline, discussions with field supervisors online, and offline implementation of work programmes. Interviews with Loleng village officials, BPD Loleng officials, and Loleng villagers aimed to gather all information about the problems in Loleng village. Discussion between group members and DPL about solutions to overcome the problems in Loleng village. Determination of work programmes that are useful to overcome the problems of Loleng village. Implementation of the work programme to solve the problems in Loleng village. Problem solving in this case has been mentioned in several points which are carried out in accordance with the agreed work programmes and implemented in Loleng Village, Kota Bangun Sub-district.

Selected Strategies for Problem Solving in Secondary Schools

Problematic situations in the educational process pose a significant challenge, affecting not only the effectiveness of teaching but also the quality of the educational environment. This paper explores key problematic situations that secondary school teachers frequently encounter, including disciplinary issues, student demotivation, and difficulties in understanding the curriculum. The authors aim to analyse these situations in terms of their potential causes, their impact on the educational process, and possible intervention strategies. The paper provides an overview of proven strategies for effectively addressing these problems, with an emphasis on developing pedagogical skills and building positive relationships between teachers and students. Research findings show that a proactive approach to problem situations can significantly improve the quality of teaching and contribute to a healthy school climate. The paper offers insights for teachers and school leaders on how to better manage the challenges of everyday teaching practice.

Exploring Math Moments: Middle-schoolers’ Phases of Problem-solving, Executive Functions in Practice, and Collaborative Problem Solving

Collaborative problem solving (CPS) has been shown to both engage and benefit students’ learning of mathematics. However, there is evidence that group work is not always easy to facilitate, in part because educators lack details about learners’ engagement during group work: the processes of problem solving involved, and how these are engaged. In this exploratory study, we focused on these processes in the moments of related math activity, or math moments, engaged by two groups of interested, urban, middle-school aged students during four sessions of work in the Virtual Math Teams (VMT) environment. We examined three phases of their problem solving: Exploring, Constructing, and Checking. In addition, to further describe the students’ cognitive and behavioral engagement, we considered both the process of students' use of executive functions (EF), during problem solving, termed executive functions in practice (EFP), as well as the stage of CPS (Participation, Cooperation, and Collaboration), during phases of problem solving. We learned that the relation between each phase of problem solving, categories of EFP, and stages of CPS vary; for example, the problem-solving phase of Exploring was found to have a more positive effect on EFP and CPS than either Constructing or Checking. Implications for educational practice, and next steps for related research are described.

Group Counseling Education Program for Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Effect on Parents' Psychological Resilience, Life Satisfaction, and Family Functioning.

To investigate the effects of a group counseling education program (GCEP) provided to parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on parents' psychological resilience, life satisfaction, and family functioning. This experimental study was conducted with 30 parents of children with ASD. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Adult Psychological Resilience Scale, Satisfaction With Life Scale, and Family Assessment Device. The GCEP, comprising 10 sessions, was provided to the intervention group once per week. The GCEP significantly increased psychological resilience levels in the intervention group compared to the control group. Although there were no significant differences between groups regarding Family Assessment Device subscale scores before the GCEP, after the program, mean scores on the subscales of problem solving, communication, roles, and behavioral control of the intervention group were significantly lower than those of the control group. No significant differences were observed in life satisfaction between groups. The GCEP was effective in improving psychological resilience and family functioning. Family counseling programs for raising awareness and provision of psychosocial support may be developed and applicable in relation to in-family relationships, care and responsibilities for the child, and problem solving for parents of children with ASD. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx-xx.].

BMWP: the first Bengali math word problems dataset for operation prediction and solving

Solving math word problems of varying complexities is one of the most challenging and exciting research questions in artificial intelligence (AI), particularly in natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML). Foundational language models such as GPT must be evaluated for intelligence, and solving word problems is a key method for this assessment. These problems become especially difficult when presented in low-resource regional languages such as Bengali. Word problem solving integrates the cognitive domains of language processing, comprehension, and transformation into real-world solutions. During the past decade, advances in AI and machine learning have significantly progressed in addressing this complex issue. Although researchers worldwide have primarily utilized datasets in English and some in Chinese, there has been a lack of standard datasets for low-resource languages such as Bengali. In this pioneering study, we introduce the first Bengali Math Word Problem Benchmark Data Set (BMWP), comprising 8653 word problems. We detail the creation of this dataset and the benchmarking methods employed. Furthermore, we investigate operation prediction from Bengali word problems using state-of-the-art deep learning (DL) techniques. We implemented and compared various standard DL-based neural network architectures, achieving an accuracy of 92±2%. The data set and the code will be available at https://github.com/SanchitaMondal/BMWP.

LCD-AHP-TRIZ methodology enhances low-carbon principles in smart product design

With the rapid development of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, their manufacturing processes have led to an increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a significant increase in electronic waste, which adversely affects the global environment. Consequently, green and low-carbon transformation of smart products is imperative. To address the limitations of combining low-carbon principles with complex smart product design, this study proposes an innovative “LCD-AHP-TRIZ” methodology that integrates the full life cycle design (LCD), analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) to systematically resolve low-carbon smart conflicts in product design and propose solutions. The method utilizes LCD to construct a low-carbon demand table for the life cycle of smart products, AHP to quantitatively assess the importance of indicators, and TRIZ theory to resolve conflicts, thereby successfully integrating low-carbon demand into smart product design. The applicability and effectiveness of this method were verified using a smart dehumidifier as a case study. The results demonstrate that the method can systematically identify low-carbon design requirements, solve innovation problems, and provide scientific strategies for sustainable development of smart products.