Tailor-made Questionnaire Research Articles

Sexual Hallucinations in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and Their Relation With Childhood Trauma.

Background: Sexual hallucinations are probably the most neglected types of hallucination, even in psychiatric settings. They are often multimodal in nature, and their prevalence rate is unknown. For other types of hallucination, notably auditory hallucinations, childhood trauma is an important risk factor. However, whether this also applies to sexual hallucinations is unexplored.Objective: To establish the prevalence rate of sexual hallucinations in a clinical sample of patients diagnosed with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder, to describe their phenomenological characteristics, and to estimate their relationship with childhood trauma.Methods: After screening 778 patients diagnosed with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder, 42 were considered eligible for inclusion by their treating physician or psychiatrist. Thirty of these patients were interviewed to assess the presence of sexual hallucinations, using a tailor-made questionnaire and the short form of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.Results: Of the 30 patients interviewed, 13 reported sexual hallucinations, yielding a 1-year prevalence rate of 0.017 in this clinical sample. Of the hallucinating patients, 46.2% reported multimodal hallucinations, with involvement of up to five sensory modalities. All patients who experienced sexual hallucinations reported a history of childhood trauma, of which 76.9% involved sexual trauma (OR 8.7). In addition, 61.5% of the patients reported high levels of distress.Conclusion: In patients diagnosed with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder, sexual hallucinations warrant appropriate medical attention. They are not as rare as traditionally thought, and their relationship with childhood trauma is overwhelming. Therefore, we recommend that clinical attention be paid to the psychotic and traumatic symptoms of these patients, as well as to the somatic conditions that may underlie them. For clinical and research purposes, we propose a classification of sexual hallucinations in accordance with the sensory modalities involved. As sexual hallucinations are also experienced in the context of temporal lobe epilepsy, narcolepsy, persistent genital arousal disorder, intoxications and other somatic conditions, further research in transdiagnostic populations seems warranted. In line with the current practice of providing trauma-focused treatment for trauma-related auditory hallucinations, we recommend that future studies explore the effectiveness of this type of treatment for sexual hallucinations.

Investigating the Effect of Teaching Aesthetic Skills to Faculty Members on Development of Their Effective Teaching Performance1

Abstract This quasi-experimental study investigated the effect of teaching aesthetic skills to faculty members on development of their effective teaching performance through a two-group pretest-posttest design. The sample included 32 faculty members at a major Iranian university who were divided into the experimental (11 participants) and control groups (21 participants). The experimental group was taught to use aesthetic skills in the teaching and learning processes; however, no intervention was applied to the control group. To evaluate the effective teaching performance of the faculty members, a tailor-made questionnaire was used in two pretest and posttest stages, where randomly chosen students were asked to express their opinions about the faculty membersí performance. The sample size of the students was 1096 in the pretest stage and 935 in the posttest stage. Paired t-test results showed that there was no significant difference between the mean effective teaching scores of the faculty members in the control group in the pretest stage and in the posttest stage. However, the mean effective teaching scores of the faculty members in the experimental group were found to be significantly higher in the posttest. In addition, although there was no significant difference between the mean effective teaching scores of the two faculty groups in the pretest, faculty members in the experimental group outperformed their counterparts in the control group. Based on the findings, applying aesthetic skills by faculty members in the teaching and learning processes can pave the way for sustainable development of their effective teaching performance. Therefore, faculty members are recommended to acquire the required knowledge and skills to better use aesthetic skills in the teaching process.

Short-term responses of Dutch vacationers to a sharp increase in transport costs

This paper investigates vacationers’ short-term responses to a sharp increase in transport costs. It aims to (1) acquire an understanding of the relative popularity of the different types of responses among vacationers and (2) explore whether there are distinct market segments of vacationers that respond differently to a sharp increase in transport costs. Data are obtained from a novel, tailor-made questionnaire which was done in the Netherlands in 2012. Results show that no single response is either very popular or unpopular. Furthermore, using latent class cluster analysis, four market segments (classes) of vacationers are identified that have markedly distinct response patterns. It was found that Age and Income explain class membership.

A Systematic Review on Existing Measures for the Subjective Assessment of Rehabilitation and Assistive Robot Devices.

The objective of the current study is to identify and classify outcome measures currently used for the assessment of rehabilitation or assistive robot devices. We conducted a systematic review of the literature using PubMed, MEDLINE, CIRRIE, and Scopus databases for studies that assessed rehabilitation or assistive robot devices from 1980 through January 2016. In all, 31 articles met all inclusion criteria. Tailor-made questionnaires were the most commonly used tool at 66.7%, while the great majority (93.9%) of the studies used nonvalidated instruments. The study reveals the absence of a standard scale which makes it difficult to compare the results from different researchers. There is a great need, therefore, for a valid and reliable instrument to be available for use by the intended end users for the subjective assessment of robot devices. The study concludes by identifying two scales that have been validated in general assistive technology devices and could support the scope of subjective assessment in rehabilitation or assistive robots (however, with limited coverage) and a new one called PYTHEIA, recently published. The latter intends to close the gap and help researchers and developers to evaluate, assess, and produce products that satisfy the real needs of the end users.

The importance of university facilities for student satisfaction at a Norwegian University

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the influence of higher education institution (HEI) facilities on overall student satisfaction, and to identify the distinct facilities that most strongly influence student overall satisfaction with HEI facilities. Design/methodology/approach – A tailor-made questionnaire is developed to measure student perception about student life, including their perceptions about the facilities at the HEI they attend. Two econometric models are estimated using OLS regression analysis. Findings – The factor that most strongly influences student satisfaction with university facilities is the quality of its social areas, auditoriums and libraries. Conversely, it is determined that computer access on campus does not influence student satisfaction. Research limitations/implications – The sample includes data only from a single university. Moreover, only Norwegian students at the university participated in the survey. Practical implications – Based on our findings, the most effective strategy to improve student overall satisfaction with the facilities at an HEI is to improve the quality of social areas, auditoriums and libraries. Such a strategy will result in students who are more satisfied with the HEI they are attending and, thereby, increase the HEI’s chances of long-term success. Originality/value – To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to identify the facilities that most strongly influence the overall satisfaction of students with the facilities at HEIs.

Evaluating Kyphosis and Lordosis in Students by Using a Flexible Ruler and Their Relationship with Severity and Frequency of Thoracic and Lumbar Pain.

Study DesignA cross-sectional, descriptive study.PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the relationship between kyphosis and lordosis measured by using a flexible ruler and musculoskeletal pain in students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences.Overview of LiteratureThe spine supports the body during different activities by maintaining appropriate body alignment and posture. Normal alignment of the spine depends on its structural, muscular, bony, and articular performance.MethodsTwo hundred forty-one students participated in this study. A single examiner evaluated the angles of lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis by using a flexible ruler. To determine the severity and frequency of pain in low-back and inter-scapular regions, a tailor-made questionnaire with visual analog scale was used. Finally, using the Kendall correlation coefficient, the data were statistically analyzed.ResultsThe mean value of lumbar lordosis was 34.46°±12.61° in female students and 22.46°±9.9° in male students. The mean value of lumbar lordosis significantly differed between female and male students (p<0.001). However, there was no difference in the level of the thoracic curve (p=0.288). Relationship between kyphosis measured by using a flexible ruler and inter-scapular pain in male and female students was not significant (p=0.946). However, the relationship between lumbar lordosis and low back pain was statistically significant (p=0.006). Also, no significant relationship was observed between abnormal kyphosis and frequency of inter-scapular pain, and between lumbar lordosis and low back pain.ConclusionsLumbar lordosis contributes to low back pain. The causes of musculoskeletal pain could be muscle imbalance and muscle and ligament strain.

A study of mobile learning for higher education students in Guangzhou

Background Recently, ‘mobile learning’ (M-learning) has become a popular research topic in investigating how to use mobile device for teaching and learning. M-learning is a mode of learning using smartphones, phablets, tablets, netbooks or notebooks as the learning device and is a part of electronic learning (e-learning). However, M-learning is more flexible than e-learning [1,2] because students can learn anywhere, anytime. Moreover, M-learning is an important new learning strategy because mobile devices are now necessary tools in students’ daily life. As noted by Yousuf [3], M-learning is ‘more interactive, involving more contact, communication, and collaboration with people’. M-learning is a student-oriented approach that makes learning informal, independent and collaborative[3]. Based on the theoretical model Framework for the Rational Analysis of Mobile Education (FRAME) [4], this study examined the practices and attitudes relating to M-learning for university students’ studying in Guangzhou, particularly to examine what and how knowledge will be acquired using mobile devices in learning. This model is valuable in different aspects as it can be used: a. as an indicator for the development of future mobile devices; b. for the development of learning materials; and c. for the design of teaching and learning strategies for mobile education. Methods Mixed-method research design is a procedure for collecting, analyzing, and ‘mixing’ both quantitative and qualitative research and is a single study method to understand the research problem [5]. Because the purpose of this study was to draw a full picture to understand the practices of using M-learning for Guangzhou’s university students, a mixed-method research strategy was adopted and implemented. To collect the quantitative data, a set of tailor-made questionnaires was distributed to 495 Guangzhou university students in March 2013. The objective of the questionnaire was to collect quantitative data on the practices and attitudes of university students in relation to M-learning. As qualitative data, a pre-survey focus group interview, diary records and post-survey individual interviews were completed from April to June of 2013. The aim of the pre-survey focus group interview for identifying and sharing the use of mobile devices was to promote learning with Guangzhou’s university students. The diary record provided a means to record students’ mobile learning practices, and the post-survey interview provided opportunities for the participants to express their views and feelings. Therefore, the researcher could easily follow up on unexpected results or more deeply examine the motivation of the respondents and their reasons for responding as they did. Results and conclusions After the quantitative data and qualitative information were collected, the qualitative information was quantified, and matrix tables were built to compare and contrast the quantitative variables and qualitative themes with text data quotes. Thus, to facilitate informal learning in Guangzhou’s institutions of higher education, this study provided in-depth analysis and clearly explained the practices and purposes of using mobile devices. This study found that Guangzhou’s university students prefer to use mobile devices for learning outside rather than in the classroom. In addition, assessment methods were crucial factors for using mobile device to learn. Lastly, reading and searching were the most performed of the M-learning activities. These findings can assist

Cognitive ability and the demand for redistribution.

Empirical research suggests that the cognitively able are politically more influential than the less able, by being more likely to vote and to assume leadership positions. This study asks whether this pattern matters for public policy by investigating what role a person's cognitive ability plays in determining his preferences for redistribution of income among citizens in society. To answer this question, we use a unique Swedish data set that matches responses to a tailor-made questionnaire to administrative tax records and to military enlistment records for men, with the latter containing a measure of cognitive ability. On a scale of 0 to 100 percent redistribution, a one-standard-deviation increase in cognitive ability reduces the willingness to redistribute by 5 percentage points, or by the same amount as a $35,000 increase in mean annual income. We find support for two channels mediating this economically strong and statistically significant relation. First, higher ability is associated with higher income. Second, ability is positively correlated with the view that economic success is the result of effort, rather than luck. Both these factors are, in turn, related to lower demand for redistribution.

ATTITUDES TOWARD BILINGUALISM: EVIDENCE FROM DIFFERENT IRANIAN ETHNO-LINGUISTIC COHORTS

In multilingual settings where several heritage languages co-exist, the gradual process of assimilation may lead to loss of minority languages. In other words, in such settings, with no provision made for the individuals of the specific heritage languages to learn to read and write their first language (L1), language shift is accelerated and is almost sure to take place. It is therefore urgent to scrutinize the problem from different perspectives and to propose recommendations to maintain heritage language(s). One such consideration is what speakers of different languages in multilingual settings think about their linguistic status and language maintenance. Accordingly, this study provided quantitative and qualitative data on the attitudes of a random sample ( N =224) of Iranians from different layers of society (i.e., universities, schools, and families) toward bilingualism. Data was collected through: (a) a tailor-made questionnaire that measured participants’ attitudes and (b) further follow up interviews conducted with 20% of the participants. The findings indicated that the representative samples appreciated the opportunity to learn two or more languages and perceived bilingual abilities as being to ones’ advantage in his/her future life. However, the positive tendency towards bilingualism varied significantly among cohorts forming diffident layers of the society. Results are interpreted in relation to the possible reconsideration of language policy in Iran. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7220/2335-2027.5.2

Measuring potential predictors of burnout and engagement among young veterinary professionals; construction of a customised questionnaire (the Vet-DRQ)

The Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R model) was used as the theoretical basis of a tailormade questionnaire to measure the psychosocial work environment and personal resources of recently graduated veterinary professionals....

Relationship between spinal abnormalities and musculoskeletal pains in university students in Hamadan (Iran)

Introduction: The spine serves as the main support of the body. During activities, postural stability depends on the simultaneous function of the muscles, passive elements, and also the neural elements. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between spinal abnormalities and musculoskeletal pains in the areas related to these abnormalities in the students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. Materials and Methods: 241 students (157 females with the mean age of 19.42 years, SD=1.1 years; 84maleswith the mean age of 21.01 years, SD=2.25 years) voluntarily participated in this study. Spinal alignment was evaluated by posture screen, plumb line and the New York Test of the Lateral Head Deviation to determine the rates of forward head, shoulder asymmetry, kyphosis and lordosis. To determine the location and intensity of pain in the head, the left-and right-neck, the left- and right-shoulder and the low-back regions, a tailor-made questionnaire with visual analog scale was used. Finally, using the correlation coefficient, the data were statistically analyzed. Results: There was significant relationship between lateral head deviation and both headache and the left-side neck pain (P < 0.05). Kyphosis was significantly correlated with feeling pain in the right and the left shoulders and also with inters scapular pain (P < 0.05). Moreover, significant relationship between lordosis and low back pains was observed (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate a signification relationship between the presence of some postural abnormalities and the incidence of musculoskeletal pain. Keywords: Spine, Shoulder, Forward head, Kyphosis abnormality, Lordosis abnormality, Musculoskeletal pains, Posture

Iranian EFL Teachers' Views on Measuring Reading Comprehension

Understanding the opinions of major role players in education (i.e. teachers, students, and policy makers) on all aspects of learning and teaching is influential to the success of the educational process. The purpose of this study was to investigate EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers' views on measuring reading comprehension. A cohort of 50 Iranian EFL teachers teaching at university, school and institute levels were invited to fill out a tailor-made questionnaire. Based on the analysis of 23 returned questionnaires, it was revealed that in most cases teachers did not have the freedom to make their own tests, or had to follow out-dated guidelines by relevant authorities.

Communicative curriculum perceived by Iranian language teachers

This paper examines Iranian English teachers’ perception of communicative curriculum in one of Open Institutes. For this purpose, a tailor-made questionnaire was designed and administered to 6 English language teachers. These teachers were also interviewed in order to identify their attitudes towards communicative curriculum and its implementation in Iranian context. Descriptive analysis of data revealed that the most significant footprint of communicative curriculum in Iranian Open Institutes is the emphasis on pair work by teachers; however, dialogues, reading, grammar, and vocabularies are not integrated in an interactive way. According to their demographic information, learners’ Cultural background and teachers’ academic major were identified as main reasons for gap between communicative curriculum and its implementation in Iranian context.

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF DEVELOPMENTAL EVENTS IN AUTISTIC CHILDREN AND NORMAL CHILDREN

Introduction: Autism is a complicated developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life as a result of a neurological disorder affecting performance. The present study aimed at studying significant developmental events happening to autistic children compared to those occurring for normal ones. Materials and Methods: 50 autistic children and 50 normal children with an age range of 4 to 11 years participated in this descriptive-analytic study which was conducted in Isfahan-Iran. Important developmental factors related to pre-, peri- and post-natal periods were collected from literature and a tailor-made questionnaire was designed to be later completed by children's mothers. The data was statistically analyzed via Chi-Square, Fischer Exact and Mann-Whitney test. Results : The results indicated that the factors which occurred significantly more frequently among children with autism were as follows: advanced maternal and paternal age, maternal stress, allergic signs during pregnancy, familial marriages, having a history of communication and/or speech-language disorders in the family, cesarean delivery, high fever after birth, seizures and head trauma (P < 0/05). Conclusion: Although this study cannot determine decisive causes of development of autism in children, it can introduce possible risk factors. In fact, our findings suggest that pre-natal, neonatal and post-natal factors contributing to deviant growth are important in the pathogenesis of the disorder. Keywords: Autism disorder, Normal children, Developmental events, Pre-natal events, Post-natal events

Perceptions on efficacy and side effects of conventional depot antipsychotics (CDA) and atypical depot antipsychotics (ADA): Psychiatrists versus patients in Hong Kong

Objectives. We compared the satisfaction level of psychiatrists and psychiatric patients towards conventional (CDA) and atypical (ADA) depot antipsychotics on symptom management, role functioning, and side effects. Method. Patients from an out-patient clinic of a public hospital and psychiatrists from public hospitals participated in the survey in 2007–2008. A total of 153 patients were interviewed by a tailor-made questionnaire and 72 psychiatrists self-administered a similar questionnaire. Results. Both groups shared similar attitudes towards clinical effectiveness and treatment efficacy of ADA and CDA. More patients were ambivalent towards relapse prevention of CDA than psychiatrists (30.7 vs. 16.7%, P<0.044) and three quarters of psychiatrists believed that ADA are associated with less side effects. More than half of the patients showed negative attitudes towards the effectiveness of CDA on improving quality of life (52.40%), work (57.50%), and recreation (55.50%). Psychiatrists were more aware of the limitation of CDA and severity of side effects of CDA. They did not, however, seem to incorporate patients' opinions and research findings into their clinical practice. Conclusion. Evidence-based practice and shared decision-making model between clinicians and mental patients should be advocated. More investigations should be devoted to examine the efficacy of ADA as the alternative to CDA.

Characteristics of an Effective English Language Teacher as Perceived by Iranian Teachers and Learners of English

This study attempted to characterize qualities of an effective English language teacher (EELT) as perceived by Iranian English language teachers and learners. For this purpose, a tailor-made questionnaire was administered to 59 English language teachers and 215 learners of English at universities, high schools and language institutes in Iran. The results indicated significant differences between teachers’ and learners’ views on some characteristics of EELTs. Teachers seemed to agree more strongly than students that an EELT should assign homework and integrate group activities into the classroom. Other areas of significant difference in opinions included preparing the lesson well, using lesson plans and assessing what students have learned reasonably. Students, on the contrary, agreed more than teachers that teaching English in Persian (first language of the learners) was one of the prominent characteristics of an EELT. The qualitative analysis indicated that teachers perceived the features like mastery of the target language, good knowledge of pedagogy and the use of particular techniques and methods as well as a good personality to make an EELT, whereas, learners gave more weight to characteristics relating to a teacher’s personality and the way he behaves toward his students.

The effect of weight loss on body image in HIV-positive gay men

The purpose of this study was to assess how body image may be affected by HIV-related weight loss. Qualitative methodology was used: eight gay men with weight loss of at least 10% self-completed a brief, tailor-made questionnaire and then participated singly in semi-structured audiotaped interviews. Questionnaire analysis showed all but one had avoided social activities in the last two months due to self-consciousness over their emaciated appearance; family visits, meeting new people and meeting up again with people after weight loss were most problematic. Interview analysis revealed that in addition to social considerations, bodily comfort and effectiveness were affected, and participants identified weight loss as a clear sign of disease progression. Weight regain was problematic and food had become a difficult issue for most. These results suggest that in gay men, HIV-related weight loss causes significant emotional and physical problems.

Improving Work Load and Comfort of Operators on Modified Hydraulic Excavators in Rail Road Maintenance

In small-scale projects of mechanized maintenance of rail roads special equipped hydraulic excavators (HE) are used in several maintenance tasks. One task concerns the exchange of the old crossbars and ballast under the rails by new materials (MCE-task). This task requires high precision of the HE-operators. Inaccurate controlling the machine movements may have safety consequences for the rail road workers around. Signals of fatiguing in this group of operators instigated a more detailed assessment of their work, work load, mental strain and physical discomfort. The organizational and ergonomic factors studied were: work practices, work-recovery schedules and cabin and/or operating controls. Work satisfaction and health as possible confounders for fatiguing effects in this group were assessed as well. In total 16 out of 17 experienced operators of 3 leading companies in the Netherlands participated in the study. In a pilot study, data of 4 operators were sampled during full day and night shifts, i.e. work strain ratings and heart rate-variability was measured. Several postures and movements were assessed and interviews were held, resulting in a tailor-made questionnaire on work and fatigue related problems. Main conclusions were: the mechanized crossbar exchange task is more straining than other operator's rail road maintenance tasks. In the second half of the shifts fatigue symptoms may rise too high, particularly during special project circumstances. Inherent ergonomic shortcomings in the technology chosen and in the cabin design lead to unnecessary fatiguing. Improvements of the work-rest schedule and the techniques used are recommended to increase the operator's comfort and the safety of his coworkers.