Significant Changes In Beliefs Research Articles

Preliminary Evidence for Heterogeneity of Beliefs About Auditory Verbal Hallucinations Intent.

Perceptions of patient's auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs), commonly termed voices, have important impacts on their everyday lives. Despite research emphasizing the consequences of malevolent voices, preliminary results suggest that beliefs about voices may not be mutually exclusive. As such, we aimed to characterize the heterogeneity of beliefs about AVHs and describe their clinical correlates. We recruited 78 patients referred to a Voices group therapy for refractory and distressing voices. Based on the Revised Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire, clustering analysis yielded four subgroups of patients with distinct pattern of beliefs about AVHs. These subgroups differed significantly in terms of affective disturbances, engagement, and resistance to their voices. Furthermore, no significant changes in beliefs about voices were observed after 6 weeks. Results of the current study suggest that the heterogeneity regarding the beliefs about AVHs should be targeted in treatment to reduce their associated negative outcomes.

Changing Patient and Public Beliefs About Antimicrobials and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Using a Brief Digital Intervention.

Background: A key driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is patient demand for unnecessary antibiotics, which is driven by patients’ beliefs about antibiotics and AMR. Few interventions have targeted beliefs to reduce inappropriate demand. Objective: To examine whether a brief, online algorithm-based intervention can change beliefs that may lead to inappropriate antibiotic demand (i.e. perceptions of antibiotic necessity and lack of concern about antibiotic harm). Design: Pre- and post-intervention study. Participants: Participants were 18 years or older, and residing in the United Kingdom, who self-selected to participate via Amazon mTurk, an online survey plaform, and via research networks. Intervention: Participants were presented with a hypothetical situation of cold and flu symptoms, then exposed to the intervention. The online intervention comprised: 1) a profiling tool identifying individual beliefs (antibiotic necessity, concerns, and knowledge) driving inappropriate antibiotic demand; 2) messages designed to change beliefs and knowledge (i.e. reduce antibiotic necessity, and increase antibiotic concerns and knowledge), and 3) an algorithm linking specific messages to specific beliefs and knowledge. Main measures: The profiling tool was repeated immediately after the intervention and compared with baseline scores to assess change in beliefs. A paired samples t-test was used to determine intervention effect. Key Results: A total of 100 respondents completed the study. A significant change in beliefs relating to inappropriate demand was observed after the intervention, with a reduction in beliefs about antibiotic necessity (t = 7.254; p < 0.0001), an increase in antibiotic concerns (t = −7.214; p < 0.0001), and increases in antibiotic and AMR knowledge (t = −4.651; p < 0.0001). Conclusion: This study is the first to demonstrate that patient beliefs about antibiotics and AMR associated with inappropriate demand can be changed by a brief, tailored online intervention. This has implications for the design of future interventions to reduce unnecessary antimicrobial use.

Media Consumption: Association With Implicit Theories of Romantic Relationships

Media has grown in popularity throughout time, and with it, so has media’s ability to influence those who watch it. Specifically, romantic media has the potential to influence personal romantic beliefs. However, to date, research has typically relied on self-reported questionnaires for determining associations. Therefore, the present study examined the influence of romantic reality media on a specific set of romantic beliefs (i.e., individuals’ implicit theories of relationships) using an experimental procedure. Participants from a small liberal arts college first completed an online, prevideo survey (N = 128) assessing their prior romantic media consumption and their current romantic beliefs. A subset of the participants (n = 81) then came into a computer lab and watched 1 of 3 videos: emphasizing growth beliefs, emphasizing destiny beliefs, or a nonromantic media video. Immediately after the video, participants filled out a postvideo survey assessing their romantic media consumption and postvideo romantic beliefs. Analyses revealed a significant 3-way interaction between implicit theories of relationships, wave of data collection, and video condition, Wilk’s λ = .80, F(2, 74) = 9.38, p &lt; .001, ηp2 = .20. Specifically, participants who watched the growth video had a significant change in their implicit theories of relationships beliefs; there was not a significant change in beliefs for participants who watched the destiny video. Results are discussed in relation to cultivation theory, professional implications in the counseling fields, and future directions.

Changes in coping, autonomous motivation, and beliefs about exercise among women in early recovery from alcohol participating in a lifestyle physical activity intervention

Women are particularly likely to drink alcohol for the purpose of coping with or alleviating negative affect. Engaging in physical activity has been posited as a potentially effective alternate coping strategy during early recovery for managing mood and cravings. Utilizing exercise to cope may be associated with more adaptive coping strategies in general. Additionally, an intrinsic (autonomous) motivational style and positive beliefs about exercise are associated with long-term adherence to physical activity. The current study evaluates changes in coping strategies, autonomous motivation, and beliefs about exercise among women engaged in a physical activity intervention during early recovery (N = 20; mean age = 39.53). General coping strategies, motivational style, and beliefs about exercise were examined before and after engaging in the 12-week intervention which aimed to help women utilize physical activity as a means to cope with negative affect and alcohol craving. We found that, by the end of the intervention, participants significantly increased utilization of adaptive coping strategies such as the use of emotional support from others. Additionally, participants increased autonomous motivation over time. There were no significant changes in beliefs about exercise. Changes in beliefs about benefits of exercise, autonomous motivation, and adaptive coping were related to use of exercise to cope. However, even though these changes were associated with how women in the intervention used exercise, they were not associated with exercising more. Results from this open pilot suggest that women in early recovery from alcohol who increase physical activity – specifically as a means to cope with negative affect and craving – also demonstrate other wider coping strategies, more positive beliefs, and autonomous motivation.

Opportunity evaluation and changing beliefs during the nascent entrepreneurial process

This article explores an important but less understood part of the nascent entrepreneurial process, the changes that occur to beliefs associated with continuing evaluation of the opportunity and related learning. Using samples from the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics, we demonstrate that engaging in planning activities by nascent entrepreneurs as they proceed through the process is associated with a decrease in perceptions of environmental uncertainty but an increase in perceived individual self-efficacy and business performance expectations. Overall, our evidence is consistent with a dynamic view of the nascent stage of the entrepreneurial process characterized by ongoing significant changes in beliefs.

Impact of a U.S. antismoking national media campaign on beliefs, cognitions and quit intentions.

In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a national tobacco education campaign, Tips From Former Smokers, that consisted of graphic, emotionally evocative, testimonial-style advertisements. This longitudinal study examines changes in beliefs, tobacco-related cognitions and intentions to quit smoking among U.S. adult smokers after a 12-week airing of the campaign (n = 4040 adult smokers pre- and post-campaign). Exposure to the campaign was associated with greater odds of intending to quit within the next 30 days [odds ratio (OR) = 1.28, P < 0.01] and within the next 6 months (OR = 1.12, P < 0.05), and quit intentions were stronger among respondents with greater campaign exposure (OR = 1.12, P < 0.01). Campaign exposure was also associated with significant changes in beliefs about smoking-related risks (ORs = 1.15-2.40) and increased worries about health (b = 0.30, P < 0.001). Based on study change rates applied to U.S. census data, an estimated 566 000 additional U.S. smokers reported their intention to quit smoking within the next 6 months as a result of viewing campaign advertisements. Campaign effects were consistent with the theory of reasoned action and an expanding body of research demonstrating that graphic, emotional advertisements are highly effective for prompting positive cessation-related cognitions and behavioral intentions.

Unpacking secularization: Structural changes, individual choices and ethnic paths

Studies of secularization suggest it is a complex and multidimensional process and that secularization unfolds in different sets of identities, practices and values. But, in spite of its non-linear and non-coherent character, secularization it is not necessarily arbitrary and individualistic. Rather, as this work demonstrates, ethnic groups may be influenced by similar secularizing forces, but the impact of these forces will be different and different paths of secularization will take place. In this work, based on a survey conducted in March 2009 of a representative sample of the adult Jewish population in Israel, we study three major ethnic groups in Israel to demonstrate how ethnicity influences the process of secularization measured in beliefs, practices and attitudes. Our findings demonstrate that ethnicity creates distinct paths of secularization with different changes of practices, beliefs and values. While for some ethnic groups secularization happens alongside a significant change in beliefs, practices and behaviors, for others religion remains significant and secularization is more partial, especially when measured in liberal values.

Teaching science from cultural points of intersection

AbstractThis study focuses on a professional development program for science teachers near or on American Indian reservations in Montana. This program was framed by culturally relevant pedagogy premises and was characterized by instructional strategies and content foci resulting from the intersection between three cultures: tribal, science teaching, and science. The study employs a quasi‐experimental design and quantitative methods to examine the impact of the program on teachers' practice and beliefs, and to determine the relationship between student‐centered equity‐focused instruction and students' science test score gains. Results of the analyses indicate that after 2 years in the program teachers changed their teaching practices and beliefs about their ability to teach science and to implement equitable instruction in a way that positively impacted students' performance. Using a multiple regression analysis it was found that gains in teacher beliefs about their ability to implement equitable strategies and the increase of teaching strategies that prompt students to make connections between science and their real‐life issues significantly explained the 36.7% of the variance of student science test scores gains in treatment classrooms. No significant changes in beliefs or teaching strategies were found for comparison teachers. The results obtained from this study contribute to the identification of characteristics of a professional development program that positively impacted the science teaching of American Indian students. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 50:12–32, 2013

Beliefs and emotional reactions in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: a longitudinal study

ObjectivePsychologic studies in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) are scarce, considering the high frequency of the disorder. We performed a repeated-measures design questionnaire study in a cohort of patients with BPPV before and after treatment to investigate the dynamics of the psychologic findings and possible treatment consequences. MethodsThirty-seven consecutive patients with idiopathic BPPV participated in the study. During the first visit and 2 to 3 months after therapy, the patients completed 4 questionnaires: the Dizziness Handicap Inventory, the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. ResultsThe scores for all questioned items did not change before and after treatment except for the physical handicap scores. Correlation was found between the grade of functional and emotional impact of the disease and belief in consequences as well as anxiety levels of the patients. Moreover, uncertainty scores were in correlation with emotional impact, anxiety levels, and perceived consequences of the disease. The belief in personal control of the condition was correlated with the belief in treatment control and understanding of the disease. ConclusionThe main finding in this study is the lack of a significant change in beliefs and emotional reactions in patients with BPPV after treatment of their condition. Physicians dealing with BPPV should be aware that the disease is not solely a somatic condition but has a serious impact on the patient's mental state. Selected patients might benefit from anxiolytic medication.

Reducing Anti‐Fat Prejudice in Preservice Health Students: A Randomized Trial

Anti-fat sentiment is increasing, is prevalent in health professionals, and has health and social consequences. There is no evidence for effective obesity prejudice reduction techniques in health professionals. The present experiment sought to reduce implicit and explicit anti-fat prejudice in preservice health students. Health promotion/public health bachelor degree program students (n = 159) were randomized to one of three tutorial conditions. One condition presented an obesity curriculum on the controllable reasons for obesity (i.e., diet/exercise). A prejudice reduction condition presented evidence on the uncontrollable reasons for obesity (i.e., genes/environment); whereas a neutral (control) curriculum focused on alcohol use in young people. Measures of implicit and explicit anti-fat prejudice, beliefs about obese people, and dieting, were taken at baseline and postintervention. Repeated measures analyses showed decreases in two forms of implicit anti-fat prejudice (decreases of 27 and 12%) in the genes/environment condition relative to other conditions. The diet/exercise condition showed a 27% increase in one measure of implicit anti-fat prejudice. Reductions in explicit anti-fat prejudice were also seen in the genes/environment condition (P = 0.006). No significant changes in beliefs about obese people or dieting control beliefs were found across conditions. The present results show that anti-fat prejudice can be reduced or exacerbated depending on the causal information provided about obesity. The present results have implications for the training of health professionals, especially given their widespread negativity toward overweight and obesity.

Pre-service teacher beliefs about language learning: The second language acquisition course as an agent for change

This large mixed methods study investigated the effects of the introductory second language acquisition (SLA) course on the beliefs of pre-service teachers ( n = 381) enrolled over a three-year period at a state university in California. Pre- to post-course paired sample t-tests that were run on 23 beliefs statements from a widely used survey revealed significant changes in beliefs in several areas including the length of time for acquisition, difficulty of language acquisition, the role of culture, the role of error correction, the importance of grammar, and the efficacy of audiolingual learning strategies. In extensive written post-course explanations, the pre-service teachers attributed their pre-course beliefs to language learning experience in high school and post-course changes in their beliefs to the SLA course content and experiential activities, most notably tutoring an ESL student (the first contact for some teachers). Depth of knowledge was revealed in the teacher comments; this included information that could not have been gleaned from the beliefs surveys alone. The findings, which demonstrated how pre-service teacher beliefs evolve within the context of a professional education course, have practical implications for course design and evaluation in teacher education programs.

Effectiveness of a cognitive behavioural workbook for changing beliefs about antipsychotic polypharmacy: analysis from a cluster randomized controlled trial

Educational workbooks have been used in psychiatry to influence patient but not clinician behaviour. Targeted education interventions to change prescribing practice in other areas of medicine have only looked at changes in prescribing and not attitudes or beliefs related to the prescribing. We aimed to examine whether clinicians' beliefs about a common prescribing issue in psychiatry (antipsychotic polypharmacy prescription) changed alongside behaviour as a result of a complex intervention. Medical and nursing staff were recruited from 19 general adult psychiatry units in the south-west of the UK as part of a cluster randomized controlled trial. A questionnaire was used to assess beliefs on the prescribing of antipsychotic polypharmacy as a secondary outcome before and after completion of a cognitive behavioural 'self-help' style workbook (one part of a complex intervention). A factor analysis suggested three dimensions of the questionnaire that corresponded to predetermined themes. The data were analysed using a random-effects regression model (adjusting for clustering) controlling for possible confounders. There was a significant change in beliefs on both of the factors: antipsychotic polypharmacy (coefficient = -0.89, P < 0.01) and rapid tranquilization (coefficient = -0.68, P = 0.01) specifically targeted by the workbook. There was a modest but statistically significant change in antipsychotic polypharmacy prescribing (odds ratio 0.43, 95% confidence intervals 0.21-0.90). The workbook appeared to change staff beliefs about antipsychotic polypharmacy, but achieving substantial changes in clinician behaviour may require further exploration of other factors important in complex prescribing issues.

Increasing Perceived Efficacy for Teaching Mathematics: An Exploratory Study

This study explores pre-service early childhood teachers’ efficacy for teaching mathematics. Thirty-eight participants completed the short form of the Teacher Efficacy Scale and the Teacher Beliefs Scale before and after they conducted a clinical interview with a child around a mathematical topic. Results indicated a significant increase in Personal Teaching Efficacy as well as significant changes in beliefs about early childhood mathematics.

Analyzing the role of culture in shaping American childhood: A twentieth-century case

Widespread beliefs about the nature and functions of children change over time, and affect actual treatment of children within and without the family. Significant changes in beliefs about children developed in the United States from the 1920s onward, with emphasis both on emotional value and on weakness or vulnerability. Increased consumption of expert advice played a key role in this shift, along with cultural translation of new issues concerning child labor and schooling. Key changes occurred in all industrial societies, but American culture generated some distinctive features that continue to show up in the anxieties many parents harbor about children and their effort to intervene on their children's behalf.

The Effect of Media Analysis on Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Body Image Among College Students

Particular strategies of media advocacy can help people contest the dominant body images of fashion advertisements and reframe them to include a broader array of “normal” images. A study with an intervention group (n = 60) and a comparison group (n = 45) of undergraduate college students was conducted to investigate whether analyzing and reframing fashion advertisements changed the students' attitudes and behaviors regarding their own body images. Results from the posttest showed a significant change in beliefs among those in the intervention group but no significant change in behaviors. The comparison group showed no significant change in beliefs or behaviors. Posttest results from the women in the intervention group (n = 44) indicated a significant change in the study participants' beliefs that adult models in advertisements have an ideal body size and shape and that the participants' decisions about dieting or exercising should be based more on looks rather than on health status.

Using Nontraditional Methods to Teach Pediatric Residents About Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a training experience on the attitudes and beliefs of pediatric residents concerning insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), persons with diabetes, and the use of a multidisciplinary team to empower patients/families. The resident training experience consisted of three days of diabetes lifestyle simulation including attending an educational program designed for newly-diagnosed patients and their families. Residents' attitudes, beliefs, and team function attitudes were measured at preinstruction, postinstruction, and 6 months following instruction. There was no significant change in beliefs about diabetes. Attitudes about persons with diabetes became more positive after the training experience, but did not continue after six months. Residents also expressed a change in team attitudes, specifically, in their acceptance of having the certified diabetes educator (CDE) nurse and the patient/family adjust insulin and manage insulin during illness.

Using Paid Advertising to Modify Racial Stereotype Beliefs

This is a pilot study to determine the feasability of using mass media to modify beliefs underlying discrimination against Aborigines in a small country town in Australia. A mass media campaign was developed utilizing primarily paid advertising. A major aim of the campaign was an attempt to neutralize beliefs about Aborigines and employment. The results showed significant changes in beliefs about the proportion of Aborigines in paid employment and in the proportion of employed Aborigines remaining in a job for an extended period of time.

Randomized Trial Comparing Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion and Conventional Insulin Therapy in Type II Diabetic Patients Poorly Controlled With Sulfonylureas

To compare the effects of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and conventional insulin therapy (CIT) in patients with poorly controlled sulfonylurea-treated diabetes mellitus. Twenty-five patients aged 40-65 yr and poorly controlled with sulfonylureas and without severe diabetic complications comprised the study group. Five patients left the study (3 achieved satisfactory glycemic control without insulin, 1 defaulted, 1 developed ketonuria). Ten patients were treated with CSII and 10 with CIT. Outpatient treatment consisted of CIT (twice-daily injections of regular and NPH insulin) or CSII (basal infusion and prandial boluses of regular insulin). Glycosylated hemoglobin improved with both methods of insulin delivery (P less than 0.01), but 8 of 10 CSII-treated patients achieved satisfactory glycemic control (HbA1 less than 50 mmol hydroxymethylfurfural/mol Hb), whereas only 3 of 10 CIT-treated patients achieved this (P less than 0.05). Weight gain, insulin dosage, and prevalence of hypoglycemia were similar in the two groups. Retinal deterioration occurred in one CSII-treated patient and three CIT-treated patients, but there were no episodes of infusion site infection or metabolic decompensation. Patients' satisfaction with treatment improved during insulin therapy (P less than 0.02), and significant changes in beliefs about diabetes and its treatment were observed in CSII-treated patients (P less than 0.05). Glycemic control improved with both methods of insulin treated patients achieved satisfactory glycemic control (HbA1 less than 50 mmol hydroxymethylfurfural/mol Hb), whereas only 3 of 10 CIT-treated patients achieved this CSII. Patients' satisfaction with treatment improved during insulin therapy.