Structured Interview Questions Research Articles

Selecting a Theory of Counseling: What Influences a Counseling Student to Choose?

The study involved 19 masters-level counseling students in a qualitative research study. A structured interview format was utilized on how counseling students acquire their theoretical counseling orientation. Upon completion of structured interview questions, responses from the participants were formatted into themes and codes. The response themes of the participants included such themes as: 1) counseling theory is similar to my personal value system; 2) the theory makes sense logically; 3) I like the techniques this theory uses, etc. Implications from the study are also discussed.

The Effects of Writing to Learn (WTL) on Academic Achievement and Attitude to Lesson in English Classes

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of applying the writing letter activity of writing to learn strategies on the English Language Academic Achievement and Attitude level of 11th grade students. The research was carried out with 84 students (43 male, 41 female) at one of the state schools in Black Sea Region of Turkey. Mixed method was used in the research. A non-equivalent control group model which is one of the quasi-experimental methods was used in the quantitative part of the research. Simple Past Tense Achievement Test (SPTAT) developed by the researcher and Attitude to English Lesson Questionnaire (AELQ) developed by Erdem (2007) were used to obtain the quantitative data. Structured interview questions were asked to the six students chosen from the experimental groups using the maximum variety technique. At the end of the research, it is detected that using writing to learn strategies in English classes makes statistically significant difference for the benefit of experiment groups on the level of academic success and attitude to lesson.

กลยุทธ์การสร้างแรงจูงใจในการทำงานสำหรับพนักงานชาวไทยในบริษัทข้ามชาติจีน (Motivation Strategies for Thai Employees of Chinese Multinational Corporations)

Thai Abstract:: การศกษาครง นมวตถประสงคดงน 1) เพอศกษาลาดบความสา คญของแรงจงใจในการทางานสา หรบพนกงานชาวไทยในบรษทขามชาตจน 2) เพอศกษาลกษณะประชากรศาสตรทสงผลตอแรงจงใจในการทา งาน 3) เพอศกษามตทางวฒนธรรมทมความสมพนธกบแรงจงใจในการทางาน 4) เพอศกษาวธการสรางแรงจงใจในการทางาน การศกษาครงนเกบรวบรวมขอมลโดยใชแบบสอบถามกบพนกงานชาวไทยในบรษทขามชาตจน จานวน 513 ตวอยาง และใชวธการสมภาษณแบบมโครงสรางกบผบรหารระดบสงชาวจนในบรษทขามชาตจน จานวน 6 ตวอยาง ผลการศกษาพบวา 1) แรงจงใจในการทำงานสาหรบพนกงานชาวไทยในบรษทขามชาตจนมความสาคญใน 3 อนดบแรก ไดแก คาตอบแทน สวสดการ และมตรสมพนธ 2) ปจจยทางประชากรศาสตรดานตาแหนงงานสงผลตอแรงจงใจในการทา งานมากทสดอยางมนยสา คญทางสถตท ระดบ 0.05 3) มตชองหางของระยะเวลามความสมพนธกบแรงจงใจในการทา งานมากทสดอยางมนยสำคญทางสถตทระดบ 0.05 4) บรษทขามชาตจนมวธการสรางแรงจงใจตามความตองการของพนกงานชาวไทยในดานความตองการทางกายภาพความตองการความปลอดภย ความตองการความรก ความตองการมสมพนธภาพกบผอน ความตองการเจรญกาวหนาและความตองการทไดรบการยกยองนบถอ อกทง ยงมวธการจงใจในการทางานตามกระบวนการทางานในดานความคาดหวงความเสมอภาค การตง เปาหมายและการเสรมแรง. English Abstract:: This research aims to study important motivating factors for Thai employee in Chinese multinational corporations, the influence of demographic characteristics on Thai employee motivation, the relationship between cultural dimensions and Thai employee motivation, and motivation methods. The research was done as quantitative method by using questionnaire collected from 513 Thai employees and as qualitative method by using structured interview questions for 6 Chinese managers in Chinese multinational corporations. Results shown that 1) Thai employees are motivated by salary, welfare and positive relationship with others most. 2) The difference of position have an effect on employee motivation most. 3) Long term versus short term orientation is related to employee motivation most.4) Chinese managers motivates Thai employees by meeting their needs. These are physiological need, safety need, love need, relatedness need, growth need and esteem need. In the process of motivation, Chinese managers pay attention to Thai employees’ expectancy, equity, goal-Setting and positive reinforcement.

Postmethod Education: Its Applicability and Challenges in Iran

The present study endeavored to unveil the perception of Iranian EFL teachers on the applicability of postmethod, also the facilitative and deterrent factors in implementing it. To fulfill the purpose of this study, after selecting 23 male and female teachers, as the quantitative phase, a piloted questionnaire was distributed among them and the results were analyzed through Chi-Square, which showed that 36% of the respondents considered incorporating the parameter of particularity into their teaching practice as ?moderately important?, and 18% regarded it as ?greatly important?. The data analysis of the importance of teacher?s active involvement in postmethod procedure showed that 37% of the respondents considered this involvement ?moderately important?, and 19% regarded it as ?very important?. Also, Descriptive analysis of the factor of possibility shows that 37% of the respondents considered following the parameter of possibility in their teaching ?rarely possible?, and 18% regarded it as ?impossible?. Also, to fulfill the qualitative phase, the participants were interviewed by some standardized structured interview questions. The analysis of the results revealed that language center and supervisors are among the facilitative factors and time limitation and students? lack of interest are among the challenges.

Implementation of Inclusive Education for Special Needs Learners with Learning Disabilities

Conducting interviews is a very important qualitative research technique that helps researchers obtains answers from respondents by exploring their perspectives on a particular idea, program, or situation. In this study, the researchers would like to explore the implementation of inclusive education in Special Education Program Integration with Learning Disabilities in primary school. Specifically, this study aims to identify the form of implementation of the program, the form of collaboration and adaptation performed by the subject teacher and resource teacher. To achieve the purpose of the study, the researcher designed structured interview questions for the principal, senior assistant special education teachers, subject teachers and resource teacher. Interview questions were then pilot tested in a primary school in the state of Malacca. Two administrators and two teachers who were involved in the Inclusive Education Program have been selected to be interviewed in this pilot test. Structured interview data were analyzed. Based on the interview, 68 units of themes have been established. These analyzed data were given to three experts to evaluate. Cohen's Kappa index for the validity and reliability of the interview questions were used and Cohen's Kappa coefficient of agreement at 0.7 was obtained. Thus, the set of interview questions is found to be suitable for this study. In addition to this structured interview, the study will also be supported through other findings such as observations and document analysis.

Setting the Record Straight: Assessing the Reliability of Retrospective Accounts of Change

Ecological degradation is accelerating, reducing our ability to detect and reverse declines. Resource user accounts have the potential to provide critical information on past change but their reliability can rarely be tested, hence they are often perceived as less valid than other forms of scientific data. We compared individual fishers’ catch records, recorded 1-50 years ago, with their memories of past good, typical and poor catches for the corresponding time period. Good and poor catches were recalled with reasonable accuracy, matching variability in recorded catch with no significant change observed over time. Typical recalled catches were overestimated and became significantly more exaggerated over time, but were more comparable to mean than median recorded values. While accuracy of resource users’ memory varied with the type of information recalled, our results suggest that carefully structured interview questions can produce reliable quantitative data to inform resource management, even after several decades have elapsed.

Older maternal age and major depressive episodes in the first two years after birth: Findings from the Parental Age and Transition to Parenthood Australia (PATPA) study

BackgroundThis study examines whether (1) older maternal age is associated with increased risk of depressive episodes between four months and two years after first birth and (2) the role of subsequent reproductive, social and child factors in vulnerability to later onset depression. Method592 women were recruited in the third trimester of pregnancy in three age-groups (≤ 30 years; 31–36 years,≥37 years); 434 (73%) completed all assessments at four months and two years after birth. Major Depression episodes (MDE) were assessed at four months and two years using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Maternal (age, mode of conception, prior mood symptoms, health), child (temperament, health), reproductive (subsequent fertility treatment, pregnancy, birth, pregnancy loss) and social contextual variables (language background, paid work, practical support, life stresses) were assessed in pregnancy and postnatally using validated questionnaires and structured interview questions. ResultsMaternal age was not related to prevalence or timing of MDE. Depression symptoms, poor child health, low practical support at four months and a non-English language background predicted episodes of depression between four months and two years, ps <0.05. LimitationsLife history risks for depression were not considered, nor symptom profiles over time. ConclusionsFindings indicate that despite a more complex reproductive context, older first time mothers are not more likely to report major depressive episodes in the first two years after birth. Prevalence for the whole sample was at the lower end of reported community ranges and was comparable early and later in the postpartum period. Screening for depression after childbirth should not be restricted to the early months.

Effectiveness of HIV/AIDS voluntary counselling and testing at a university in South Africa

The increasing prevalence rates of HIV amongst South Africans 20 years and above, raises a concern as to the rising trend of the epidemic in similar age group within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Higher Education HIV/AIDS Programme (HEAIDS), in conjunction with HEIs and the South African government have undertaken to implement HIV/AIDS workplace programmes within universities in South Africa. Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) is a critical component of most universities HIV/AIDS workplace programmes. The rationale for promoting VCT is to encourage testing. An uptake in testing offers a crucial benefit, participants become aware of their status, and in most instances this awareness leads to safer sexual practices which in turn help reduce the number of new infections. A dominate sequential explanatory mixed methodology was adopted for the study. However, the quantitative method was dominant in the mixed method. A sample size of 739 respondents responded to the flouted questionnaire during the quantitative phase. This was followed by the qualitative interview of which 14 participants answered the semi structured interview questions. The findings revealed that more respondents are aware of the availability of VCT sessions, when compared to the number of respondents who actually participated in the testing. It was further disclosed in the findings that awareness of the availability of VCT sessions at the university unfortunately does not amount to testing and thus does not result in the intended changes sought after by HEAIDS or the Department of Education. Research suggests that HEIs are not really helping students to realise their right to remain HIV negative. HEIs need to be concerned, and HIV/AIDS institutional offices, in particular, need to revisit the VCT with the intention of re-attracting student and staff participation

Knowledge, practice, and barriers toward cervical cancer screening in Elmina, Southern Ghana.

AimsThe aims of this study were: 1) to assess the level of knowledge of women about Pap smear tests, 2) to determine the practices of women regarding Pap smear tests, and 3) to determine the barriers to Pap smear tests in Elmina, Ghana.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with 392 randomly selected sexually active females aged 10–74 years using structured interview questions. The Institutional Review Board of the University of Cape Coast gave ethical approval for the study and informed consent was obtained from participants. Data were analyzed with SPSS software (v19.0) using frequencies, chi-square test, and exploratory factor analysis.ResultsThe results revealed that 68.4% had never heard about cervical cancer, 93.6% had no knowledge on the risk factors, nine (2.3%) reported multiple sexual partners and being sexually active as risk factors, and 92% did not know about the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer. The majority (97.7%) had never heard of the Pap smear test. Only three (0.8%) women out of 392 had had a Pap smear test. Reasons for seeking a Pap smear test included referral, fear of cervical cancer, and radio campaigns. A significant association was found between institutional and personal barriers and having a Pap smear test.ConclusionComprehensive education on cervical cancer screening and removal of access barriers are critical in reducing risk associated with the disease and promoting women’s health.

Regional Pilot Study to Evaluate E Readiness and Local E Government Services

The concept of local e-Government has become a key factor for delivering services in an efficient, cost effective, transparent and convenient way, in circumstances where a) citizens do not have enough time available to communicate with local authorities in order to perform their responsibilities and needs, and b) information and communication technologies significantly facilitate administrative procedures and citizens-government interaction. This paper aims to identify e-services that local authorities provide, and to investigate their readiness for delivering these services. A pilot research has been conducted to identify the offer of e-services by local authorities, along with e-readiness in municipalities of the Pelagonia region in the Republic of Macedonia. The survey was carried out by means of structured interview questions based on a modified model proposed by Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development - web analysis of municipal websites in the region has been conducted, as well. The study reveals uneven distribution according to the age group of users, lack of reliability and confidence for processing the needs and requests electronically by a large part of the population, and improperly developed set of ICT tools by local governments for providing a variety of services that can be fully processed electronically.

Eğitim Fakültesi Yöneticilerinin Güç Kullanma Biçimlerinin Örgüt Kültürüne Etkisi: Bir Durum Çalışması

The main purpose of this study is to determine how power usage styles of administrators of faculties of education influence the organizational culture in their respective faculties in Turkey. Using the phenomenological method, a qualitative research method, researchers studied a group comprised of 20 academics from 7 different colleges of education employed during the 2011-2012 academic year. In order to select the appropriate study group, maximum variation technique was used since it is one of the purposive sampling methods. The data were gathered using semi- structured interview questions developed by the researchers themselves and were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. In this study, it was found that while the administrators of this group mostly used legal, coercive, and reward power styles, charismatic and expertise power styles did not have a significant impact on members of their respective faculties. It was further found that administrators' usage of legal, coercive, and reward power styles bread both organizational cultures of power and bureaucracy. It was concluded that, due to the lack of charismatic and expertise power styles, cultures of success and support are unable to flourish in such faculties and that there are even difficulties in setting up a fully functional bureaucratic culture. As a result of this study, the researchers have suggested that in order to develop an organizational culture with all of its necessary components in faculties of education, administrators should be assigned through democratic selection methods, that they be trained in administrators training programs, and that a peer mentoring system should be developed in faculties of education.

Collective Work of Novice Teachers in Changing Teaching Practices

The aim of this study was to investigate the problems faced by the novice teachers and the effect of novice teachers’ collective work on their teaching practices. A total of 10 novice teachers from six secondary schools was selected from three states in Malaysia. Generally novice teachers faced various problems in their teaching practices as well as their involvement in collective work. Consequently to what extent the actual need gained by the novice teachers from collective work was a crucial aspect. Since majority of novice teachers were lacking of social skills, this study aimed to explore how they collaborated effectively with other teachers under school context. A set of structured interview questions was used as an instrument. The findings revealed that novice teachers involved in a wide range of collective work such as curriculum, extra-curricular, school events, courses and inter- school activities, specifically in their subject area. Results also indicated that most of the novice teachers were comfortable to participate in collective work either voluntary or compulsory. Classroom management was an important criteria in determining good teaching practices. Discussions and formal interactions with colleagues were the best collective work that helped to overcome the problems and embraced their teaching practices.

Formation of groups of hospitalized adolescents facing chronic disease: a descriptive study

This is the dissertation project of the Professional Master’s in Healthcare Nursing at Aurora de Afonso Costa School of Nursing / Fluminense Federal University. The topic is the changes in everyday life aspects of adolescents hospitalized with chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD). Aims: To analyze the process of group formation by listening to teenagers hospitalized with NCD as a tool for nursing care; to identify changes in the everyday lives of adolescents as a result of the impact of disease diagnosis, treatment and hospitalization; to discuss the strategies used to cope with the disease. Method: A descriptive exploratory study, to be conducted at a university hospital in the city of Niteroi (RJ), with adolescents hospitalized with NCDs. Data collection will take place through the formation of groups containing at least two participants, guided by structured interview questions. Data will be treated by thematic content analysis.

Recommendations For Prevention Of Medical Errors Through An Empirical Investigation Of The Error Reporting Systems Within Acute Care Hospitals In Pennsylvania

The researcher investigated the procedures taken by healthcare administrators within twenty-two Pennsylvania acute care hospitals with respect to the prevention of medical errors. Structured interview questions provided relevant data in relation to how healthcare administrators could structure the workplace environment in hopes to prevent the number of medical errors that occur in acute care hospitals in Pennsylvania. Recommendations for prevention include conducting needs assessments the areas of cultural assessment, error reporting system assessment, workplace environment assessment, corrective action procedures assessment, and policies and procedures assessment. Recommendations and implications for conducting the needs assessments are provided in this paper in an effort to bring attention to actions that may be taken by hospital administrators in hopes of reducing the number of medical errors that occur within acute care hospitals in Pennsylvania.

Treatment of pituitary prolactinoma reverses unresponsiveness to PDE5 inhibitor therapy in men with ED and SHPRL

Treatment of pituitary prolactinoma reverses unresponsiveness to PDE5 inhibitor therapy in men with ED and SHPRL

Social support provided by and strain experienced by African-American cancer caregivers

Cancer is the second most common condition among people over 50, behind only dementia, associated with caregiving. As treatments improve, the number of cancer caregivers will increase. However, there is limited research about African-American cancer caregivers (AACCs). The purpose of this mixed methods study is to describe (1) the types of social support provided by and (2) the levels of strain reported by AACCs. Cancer patients from a regional safety net hospital nominated family caregivers who helped them after their cancer diagnosis. Consented caregivers were interviewed in the waiting room while the patient received treatment or later by phone using the Modified Caregiver Strain Index (MCSI), five structured interview questions, and demographic questions-20 min. Responses to the interview questions were processed using Miles and Huberman's content analysis guide. Descriptive statistics for demographics and the MCSI were performed using SPSS. Of the 45 AACCs, 64 % had medical conditions. Caregivers reported patients' pain (31 %), stress (9 %), and nausea (7 %) as the most common symptoms. AACCs most commonly provided instrumental (67 %) or emotional (42 %) support; spiritual (20 %) and informational (20 %) support were less common. Emphasis is needed in providing care assistance information to the AACCs to ensure effective support for their loved ones. This study highlights areas of support where assistance can be useful among AACCs.

L07 The functional rating taskforce for pre-huntington's disease: development of the furst-21 scale

BackgroundThere is a need for clinical scales specifically designed to measure the earliest clinical manifestations of Huntington disease (HD) and to track early changes in clinical symptoms in HD gene...

Organisational Pressure on Quality-of-Worklife of Academic and Non- Academic Women Workers in Tertiary Institutions in Lagos State, Nigeria

An approach to motivation in the contemporary world of work is the implementation of Quality-of-Worklife (QWL) programmes, which is aimed at easing the pressures faced at work by employees. Quality-of-Worklife is a relatively new concept in human resource management. It is a philosophy of improving productivity by providing workers with the opportunities required to put in their best at work, without jeopardizing their personal self improvement and responsibilities at home. This study, investigated the organisational pressure on Quality-of-Worklife of academic and non - academic women in tertiary institutions in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study was a survey of the ex-post facto type. 3,640 senior cadre women working in the four purposively selected degree awarding institutions in Lagos State (University of Lagos, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos State University and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital) and their managers formed the population. Out of these, 250 women were selected as sample from each institution using the stratified random sampling technique. Three instruments were used for the study: Quality-of-Worklife survey of Women Workers (QWLSWW) r= .815, Head of Department Check List (HODCL) and Structured Interview Questions (SIQ). A research question and 3 research hypotheses were tested at 0.05 significance level. Data were analysed using frequency counts, percentages, t-test. Significant differences were found between academic and non-academic female members of staff in their sources of pressure (t=2.43, P&lt;0.05). The factors included: salary, health-care benefits, day-care services on workplace premises and workload. However, no significant differences were found between academic and non-academic female members of staff on sources of satisfaction which included, daily workload, salary, fairness in performance assessment, special recognition for high performance, internet facilities at work and health- care benefit and organisational pressure factors. Factors such as salary, health-care benefit, day-care services, recognition, workload and others influenced QWL of women. Government and management committees of the tertiary institutions should ensure the reduction of organisational pressure and promote high QWL. This would enable the women workers contribute to the productivity of their organisation.

An Examination of the Expected Symptoms of Postconcussion Syndrome in a Nonclinical Sample

This study examined the robustness of the postconcussion syndrome (PCS) expectation-as-etiology hypothesis using a variation on the typical study design and different symptom assessment methods. Participants were 51 university students with no history of brain injury or neurological disease. Participants reported expected PCS symptoms after being exposed to an established vignette in which they were asked to imagine that they had had a car accident (expectation condition). One week later, they reported their current symptoms (control condition). Symptoms were elicited in both test sessions using each of 3 methods administered in the following fixed order: an open-ended question (eg, how have you been feeling over the past couple of weeks?), prompted interview questions (eg, have you experienced any troubling physical symptoms over the past few weeks?), and checklist (the British Columbia Postconcussion Symptom Inventory). All 3 methods were administered in a paper-and-pencil format. Findings revealed that (a) when responding to structured interview questions or the checklist, participants expected more PCS symptoms from an imagined mild traumatic brain injury when compared with their baseline, (b) the expectation effect was not present when symptoms were elicited by an open-ended question, and (c) almost all participants (approximately 98% of those reporting expected symptoms) met a caseness criterion when symptoms were assessed using a checklist or structured interview. Contrary to predictions, personal knowledge of someone with mild traumatic brain injury did not alter PCS expectancies. The expectation-as-etiology hypothesis, which is one of several factors that has been associated with PCS, may be partly dependent on method of symptom assessment.

Resident Characteristics Related to the Lack of Morning Care Provision in Long-term Care

The purpose of this study was to examine usual long-term care (LTC) practices related to 3 aspects of morning care and determine if there were resident characteristics related to the lack of care. Participants were 169 long-stay residents in 4 community LTC facilities who required staff assistance with either transfer out of bed, dressing, and/or incontinence care and were able to respond to structured interview questions about their morning care preferences. Trained research staff conducted standardized observations during 4 consecutive morning hours once per week per participant for 3 consecutive months during usual LTC conditions and interviewed participants about their morning care preferences using a structured interview protocol once per month during this same time period. Overall, 40% of the observations showed a lack of morning care provision, including any staff-resident communication about care, during the 4-hr observation period. Participants rated by staff as more physically dependent and requiring 2 staff for transfer were more likely to not receive morning care. Even when care in a particular area was absent, the majority of participants expressed a stable preference for care to remain the "same" (range of proportions was .75 to .87 for the 3 targeted care areas) and infrequently made requests for care. Efforts to promote resident-directed care should consider staffing issues related to missed care occurrences and resident issues related to level of dependency on staff as well as reduced expectations for care, which can lead to resident acceptance of low care frequencies.