Behavioral Training Research Articles

A family-based behavioral group obesity randomized control feasibility trial across a clinical trials network: a focus on contact hours.

This ancillary study's purpose is to describe the relationship between dose of treatment and body mass index (BMI) outcomes in a tele-behavioral health program delivered in the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network to children and their families living in rural communities. Participants randomized to the intervention were able to receive 26 contact hours (15 hr of group sessions and 11 hr of individual sessions) of material focused on nutrition, physical activity, and behavioral caregiver training delivered via interactive televideo. Dose of the intervention received by child/caregiver dyads (n = 52) from rural areas was measured as contact hours. The total doses of group, individual, and total contact hours were analyzed, and generalized linear mixed models were utilized to determine how dose received impacted BMI outcomes. The majority (64.4%) of participants received the target of at least 80% (20.8 hr) of the total intervention dose. Older children (9-11 years) achieved significantly less intervention dose than targeted (M = 19.7; p = .031); as did males (M = 17.2; p < .001), children who identified as Black (M = 17.8; p < .001), and children from Site 3 (M = 18.0; p < .001). Dose was not significantly related to BMI outcomes in children or caregivers. As this study is underpowered and took place during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, results should be interpreted with caution, but contact hours did not predict health outcomes for families living in rural communities.

How to educate patients and caregivers on end-of-life nutrition care and support.

There are numerous articles, book chapters, and published guidelines on the topic of clinical ethics in the use of artificially administered nutrition and hydration, which often incorporates end-of-life (EOL) nutrition care and support. Components of clinical ethics involve the importance of ethical principles, patient-centered care, and shared decision-making. However, there is sparse information on how to educate patients and caregivers on this subject. Initially, PubMed and the Cochrane Library were used to find articles on the subject. Articles were reviewed and new concepts were identified to include. There is a practice gap with not applying clinical ethics in practice. The application of clinical ethics, which includes the teach-back method of education, soft skills and behavioral skills training, and potential sacred moments, is not well addressed in the literature. Demonstration of the process of incorporating clinical ethics into practice is beneficial in helping educate clinicians so they can then effectively educate the patient and caregiver on EOL nutrition care and support. Reasons for not applying clinical ethics in actual clinical practice may be because of clinicians not receiving training, the lack of opportunity to observe the technique applied in actual clinical practice, or possibly concern for the presumed additional time required in clinical practice to apply clinical ethics. Educating patients and caregivers on EOL nutrition care and support presupposes engaging, educating, and empowering clinicians about clinical ethics by demonstrating the process and encouraging educators to incorporate the information in an interdisciplinary/interprofessional curriculum.

The relationship between social support and psychological crisis vulnerability among family impoverished undergraduates: the intermediary role of psychological resilience

BackgroundFamily impoverished undergraduates are more likely to be vulnerable to psychological crises. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the intrinsic relationship between social support, psychological resilience, and psychological crisis vulnerability among family impoverished undergraduates and to provide valuable practical evidence and policy support for effectively improving the mental health of family impoverished undergraduates.MethodsThis study applied quantitative methods to explore the impact of social support on psychological crisis vulnerability among family impoverished undergraduates while also examining the mediating effect of psychological resilience in this process. First, we used the Psychological Crisis Vulnerability Measurement Questionnaire to assess the psychological crisis vulnerability among family impoverished undergraduates and compared it under different demographic characteristics. Second, we expanded the independent variables that affect psychological crisis vulnerability among family impoverished undergraduates and conducted multiple linear regression analyses. Finally, we employed a structural equation modeling approach to analyze the underlying mechanisms between social support and psychological crisis vulnerability and to test the conspicuousness of the mediating role of psychological resilience in the process by which social support affects psychological crisis vulnerability.ResultsAnalysis of 1,549 valid questionnaires revealed that the overall level of psychological crisis vulnerability among family impoverished undergraduates was moderate. Among the surveyed family impoverished undergraduates, 37.62% reported difficulty in maintaining psychological balance when facing crises, and 4.73% showed a very vulnerable response to crises. Factors significantly associated with the psychological crisis vulnerability of family impoverished undergraduates included being a student from a financially disadvantaged background, coming from a single-parent family, and having experienced being a left-behind child. Additionally, the participants had a social support score of 60.29 ± 11.31, indicating that individual social support was significantly correlated with family support, friend support, and support from significant others. This study confirms that social support can indirectly predict psychological crisis vulnerability of family impoverished undergraduates through psychological resilience.ConclusionFamily impoverished undergraduates are more prone to psychological crises, and effective social support can help transform them into motivational forces for their own development. This, in turn, can improve their psychological state when facing problems, and enhance their ability to solve them. Furthermore, social support influences the psychological crisis vulnerability of family impoverished undergraduates through psychological resilience. Therefore, we suggest that universities pay attention to the developmental needs of students’ subjectivity, strengthen their psychological and behavioral training, further improve psychological counseling stations, and provide group counseling to students, as appropriate. Simultaneously, attention should also be paid to students’ family issues, helping create a positive family environment for students and strengthening home-university cooperation to effectively intervene in undergraduates’ psychological crises.

Preliminary investigation of an artificial intelligence-based cognitive behavioral therapy training tool.

We developed an asynchronous online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) training tool that provides artificial intelligence- (AI-) enabled feedback to learners across eight CBT skills. We sought to evaluate the technical reliability and to ascertain how practitioners would use the tool to inform product iteration and future deployment. We conducted a single-arm 2-week field trial among behavioral health practitioners who treat outpatients with psychosis. Practitioners (N = 21) were invited to use the AI-enabled CBT training tool over a 2-week (15 days, inclusive) period. To enable naturalistic observation, no adjustments were made to their workloads nor were prescriptions on use provided. We conducted daily assessments and collected backend analytics for all users. At end point, we assessed acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility of implementation, perceived usability, satisfaction, and perceived impact of training. We observed four types of technical issues: broken links, intermittent issues receiving AI-enabled feedback, video replay errors, and an HTML error. Participants averaged 6.57 logins over the 2 weeks, with more than half engaging daily. Most participants (44.7%) engaged for < 30-min increments. Usability scores exceeded industry standard and satisfaction scores indicated good promotion of the tool. All participants endorsed high feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness. Twelve participants (57%) used the AI-enabled feedback feature; those who did tended to report improved satisfaction, feasibility, and perceived impact of the training. The training tool was used by practitioners in a routine care setting, met or exceeded conventional implementation benchmarks, and may support skill improvement; however, data suggest that practitioners may need support or accountability to fully leverage the training tool. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

An Open-Source Joystick Platform for Investigating Forelimb Motor Control, Auditory-Motor Integration, and Value-Based Decision-Making in Head-Fixed Mice.

Behavioral paradigms for experiments in head-restrained mice are important for investigating the relationship between neural activity and behavior. However, behavioral setups are often constrained by high cost, design complexity, and implementation challenges. Here, we present an open-source platform for behavioral training of head-fixed mice using a joystick manipulandum. The setup allows for the creation of multiple behavioral paradigms, including an auditory-motor discrimination paradigm, and a value-based decision-making task. We include detailed instructions for construction and implementation of the entire open-source behavioral platform.

A preliminary analysis of teaching children with autism spectrum disorder self-protection skills for bullying situations.

Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder are at high risk of being bullied, but research on teaching children with autism self-protection skills for bullying situations is scant. We taught five children self-protection skills for two types of bullying (threats and unkind remarks) and consecutive bullying occurrences. We first evaluated behavioral skills training and a textual prompt to teach children to report threats of physical or material harm, provide a disapproving statement after a first unkind remark, and occupy themselves with an activity away from a bully after a second unkind remark. Additional tactics were necessary to aid in the discrimination of bullying situations for two children. There were increases in the self-protection skills with all children. Results further support that an active-learning approach is efficacious in teaching responses to bullying in simulated situations. Considerations for teaching these skills while maintaining trust and rapport with children and caregivers are discussed.

Can You Still Trust Insurance Workers? Unmasking Unethical Practices in Indonesia’s Insurance Industry

The insurance industry plays a pivotal role in fostering economic stability and protecting against uncertainties. However, its reputation is often tainted by unethical practices within its workforce, ranging from manipulative sales tactics to broken promises. This empirical study examines the prevalence and impact of unethical behavior in Indonesia’s insurance sector, focusing on agents, human resource managers, and other professionals. Through qualitative analysis, incorporating interviews with 11 customers who reported negative experiences, this research uncovers patterns of misconduct that erode trust and hinder industry growth. Findings reveal deceptive practices such as misleading policy terms and exploitative sales techniques, which undermine consumer confidence and obstruct the sector’s alignment with global sustainability goals. The study emphasizes the need for urgent ethical reforms, robust regulatory frameworks, and targeted behavioral training programs to rebuild trust and realign the industry with its critical societal and economic roles. Keywords : Unethical Practices, Insurance Industry, Customer Trust, Ethical Reforms, Indonesia, Sustainability, Sales Behavior

Organizational Development and Corporate Law Excellence: A Perspective of Human Resource Development and Behavioral Training

The research paper sought to throw light on the significance of organizational development as an approach to achieve corporate excellence. Besides, organizational learning, behavioral training and human resource development (HRD) have been viewed as the determinants of organizational development. Regarding the interventions in organizational development, training is an effective source which is practically used in many world corporations. In Pakistan’s corporate industry law excellence and organizations development depend on employees’ recruitment and training which can improve human resource development and behavioral training. In conclusion, optimal development of the organization can be possible through corporate law excellence, and it can improve employee’s performance with the help of behavioral training and development as well.

Topical review: sleep regulation as a novel target for treating preschool-aged children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms.

Elevated attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in preschoolers are a risk factor for poorer psychiatric health, cognitive deficits, and social and academic impairment across the lifespan. The first-line treatment for these preschoolers, behavioral parent training (BPT), reduces children's disruptive behaviors and parenting stress, yet its impact on core ADHD symptoms is inconsistent. Early interventions targeting biological mechanisms linked to core ADHD pathophysiology are critically needed. This topical review explores sleep dysregulation as a potential key target for early intervention for ADHD symptoms among preschoolers. Sleep dysregulation is common in school-aged children with ADHD, and treating sleep improves core ADHD symptoms in older children. Cross-sectional and prospective research with preschoolers offers compelling evidence that sleep dysregulation and ADHD symptoms are closely linked over the course of early development. BPT and behavioral sleep medicine (BSM) interventions share an underlying theoretical framework and could be streamlined to target sleep in addition to daytime behaviors. Novel early interventions targeting underlying biological mechanisms linked to core ADHD pathophysiology are critically needed to improve the trajectories of ADHD symptoms, comorbidity, and functional deficits for preschoolers with elevated ADHD symptoms. Sleep regulation is a promising mechanistic treatment target for this population, and future interventions may draw from the shared behavioral principles of BPT and BSM to target behaviors across the 24-hr period and employ scalable formats to optimize the number of families who can benefit from parent-based interventions targeting ADHD symptoms and sleep in early development.

Optimizing a mobile just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI) for weight loss in young adults: Rationale and design of the AGILE factorial randomized trial.

Young adults (YAs) are underrepresented in behavioral health and weight loss interventions and express interest in flexible, highly tailored programs. Mobile interventions are a lower-burden, scalable approach to providing behavioral support. Just-in-time-adaptive interventions (JITAI) promise to deliver the "right" support at the "right" time using real-time data from smartphones and sensors. JITAIs hold promise for promoting behavior changes needed for weight loss (dietary intake, activity, and self-weighing); however, there is limited evidence for selecting treatment components and levels of adaptation that are needed for success. The AGILE (Adaptive Goals and Interventions for Lifestyle Enhancement) trial utilizes the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) framework and a 25 full factorial experimental trial to test the efficacy of 5 intervention components, each with two levels, on weight loss among 608 YAs recruited from around the United States. All participants will receive a core 6-month weight loss intervention that includes evidence-based lessons, behavioral skills training, and daily weighing. With the goal of determining if greater adaptation leads to greater weight loss, we will test standard versus adaptive options of 5 additional intervention components: 1) diet monitoring approach (standard vs. simplified), 2) adaptive physical activity goals (weekly vs. daily), 3) decision points for message timing (fixed vs. adaptive), 4) decision rules for message content (standard vs. adaptive), and 5) message choice (no vs. yes). Assessments will occur at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Results of this trial will be used to create an optimized JITAI for weight loss in young adults.

Relationship of Conflict Management on Employees’ Performance in a Private Sector Organisation in Nepal

The purpose of this study is to investigate the ways in which approaches for resolving disagreements influence the performance of workers in private sector organisations. The following strategies for conflict resolution were taken into consideration: competing, avoiding, accommodating, compromising, and collaborating. With the descriptive survey design, the questionnaire that was prepared by the researcher was utilised. Both the Employee Performance Questionnaire and the Conflict Management Strategies that were tagged were utilised in the process of data collecting. According to the findings of the studies, techniques for conflict management have a major influence on the performance of employees. As a result, it was recommended that, in order to enhance the productivity of workers at their place of employment, disagreements of any kind should be skillfully managed rather than ignored. Individuals working at all levels of the organisation should be provided with the right behavioural guidance and training on how to handle conflict. Supervisors are required to get continual training on how to settle disagreements in order to bring about an increase in the productivity of workers while they are on the job.

One size does not fit all: the multifaceted impact of COVID-19 on graduate-level behavioral health professions students

Objective: Better understanding how behavioral health professions students were impacted by COVID-19 can help educators inform their education practices. Participants: The present study examined the impact of COVID-19 among n = 83 students enrolled in two universities across five graduate-level behavioral health training programs – clinical mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, psychiatric nursing, and social work. Method: Participants completed the Epidemic-Pandemic Impacts Inventory (EPII), and descriptive statistics were examined. Results: On average, fourteen life issues were impacted negatively by COVID-19. The most reported negative impacts of COVID-19 were more time on screens/devices, canceling/restricting family celebrations, and canceling planned travel. Participants also endorsed positive impacts of COVID-19, including increased appreciation for, and more attention paid to, personal health. Conclusions: Students have been impacted by COVID-19 both negatively and positively. Educators need to be mindful of the multifaceted impacts and continue to adjust their training considerations to adapt as needed.

Students Participating as Ambassadors for Research in Kentucky (SPARK): A health equity undergraduate research training program

Abstract The Students Participating as Ambassadors for Research in Kentucky (SPARK) program provides novel health equity research training and targeted mentorship for undergraduates, particularly those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral research and workforce. SPARK aims to address inadequate diversity in the medical and scientific research fields by providing comprehensive research mentorship and skill-building. Unlike most existing research training programs that are brief, focus on laboratory research, or are limited to graduate students and junior faculty, SPARK delivers a 16-month intensive behavioral and population health science training, equipping students with needed tools to conceptualize, plan, execute, and analyze their own health equity research study. Trainees complete didactic coursework on health equity, study design and proposal development, data analysis, and ethics. Students receive a stipend and research expenses, and multiple mentors guide them in creating original research projects for which they serve as Principal Investigator. Students disseminate their findings annually at an academic research conference as a capstone. Evaluation data from the first three cohorts suggest SPARK has been pivotal in preparing students for graduate studies and research careers in health equity and behavioral and population health sciences, providing strong support for further investments in similar undergraduate research training models.

Behavioral Intervention Functions in Type 2 Diabetes Apps: Literature Review.

As type 2 diabetes (T2D) is expected to increase, self-management becomes more crucial. Mobile apps are increasingly supporting self-management with tasks like blood glucose monitoring and medication management. Understanding the behavioral intervention functions used by diabetes apps today, is essential for improving future apps and systems for diabetes management. To analyze the behavioral intervention functions used in apps for managing T2D that integrate the three main elements: medication management, nutrition tracking, and blood glucose management. We conducted a literature review on T2D diabetes apps using SCOPUS, PubMed, and PsycINFO. After screening and removing duplicates, we analyzed app details and behavioral intervention functions based on the Behavior Change Wheel (BCW) framework. We reviewed 644 scientific publications describing diabetes apps in clinical studies, narrowing it down to 20 studies, including 16 unique apps, after screening and exclusions. These studies were published between 2016 and 2024. Among the identified apps, automatic processing of medication data was reported in one study, while blood glucose data were automatically processed in 13 studies. Nutrition data processing varied. Most apps used Enablement and Persuasion as behavioral intervention functions, with Education and Training reported less frequently. Environmental Restructuring, Incentivization, Coercion, Restriction, and Modeling were not reported as being used in any studies. This review shows that while Enablement and Persuasion are common, other behavioral intervention functions seem to be underused or underreported. Future research could explore the potential of integrating additional behavioral intervention functions to enhance diabetes app efficacy and users' self-management.

Pengaruh Konseling Behavioral Teknik Assertive Training untuk Mereduksi Adiksi Internet Siswa Sekolah Menengah Pertama

Internet addiction is a condition where individuals cannot control themselves in using the internet which causes negative tendencies that have a negative impact on physical health, psychology, and social relationships. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of behavioral counseling services assertive training techniques to reduce the internet addiction of junior high school students. The research method used in this study is a quantitative approach with a Quasi experimental method with a one group pre-test and post-test design. The results of this study indicate that: the results of hypothesis testing obtained a value (2 Tailed) of 0.068 which indicates that Ha is accepted because the sig value&gt; 0.05. And Ho is rejected because the sig value is 0.068&gt; from 0.05 so this shows that there are changes in the pre-test results before implementing behavioral counseling assertive training techniques and post-test after implementing behavioral counseling assertive training techniques

Evaluation of enhanced mental and behavioral health training for family medicine residents: a research protocol

BackgroundThe treatment gap for mental and behavioral health (MBH) in the United States (US) remains a major public health concern. Given the growing need for a robust MBH workforce, particularly for underserved populations, calls for integrated MBH in primary care have been mounting. Family medicine providers, who know and can treat all members of a family within the same setting, are uniquely positioned to manage MBH conditions.ObjectivesWith HRSA funding, the University of Utah Family Medicine Residency (UUFMR) seeks to address gaps in mental health services by enhancing or developing MBH training and partnerships. This protocol describes the project’s evaluation. The evaluation aims to identify areas to improve training content, describe training capacity, and assess intermediate outcomes of improved trainings.MethodsThe evaluation consists of three components: analyzing current curriculum and best practices, developing or enhancing trainings with partners, and assessing residents’ and graduates’ confidence in providing MBH care.ResultsThe results from this protocol fill gaps in the current literature regarding evaluation methods for provider- and organizational-level outcomes of increased quality and capacity of residency training in MBH. Further, the results provide practical guidance for other residencies seeking to integrate MBH training into their curriculum.ConclusionConsidering the resources committed to the ongoing enhancement of resident education, it is crucial to evaluate the implementation and outcomes of improvements to ensure that limited resources are well-utilized. Assessing the training capacity developed through collaboration supports progress toward creating a high-quality, accessible, and integrated mental and behavioral healthcare system in primary care.

Human AI collaboration for unsupervised categorization of live surgical feedback

Formative verbal feedback during live surgery is essential for adjusting trainee behavior and accelerating skill acquisition. Despite its importance, understanding optimal feedback is challenging due to the difficulty of capturing and categorizing feedback at scale. We propose a Human-AI Collaborative Refinement Process that uses unsupervised machine learning (Topic Modeling) with human refinement to discover feedback categories from surgical transcripts. Our discovered categories are rated highly for clinical clarity and are relevant to practice, including topics like “Handling and Positioning of (tissue)” and “(Tissue) Layer Depth Assessment and Correction [during tissue dissection].” These AI-generated topics significantly enhance predictions of trainee behavioral change, providing insights beyond traditional manual categorization. For example, feedback on “Handling Bleeding” is linked to improved behavioral change. This work demonstrates the potential of AI to analyze surgical feedback at scale, informing better training guidelines and paving the way for automated feedback and cueing systems in surgery.

Evaluating a screening-to-intervention model with caregiver training for response to name among children with autism.

Among the developmental milestones related to language and communication in early childhood, one that has been the subject of considerable research is response to name (RTN). Delayed or absent RTN in early childhood is a diagnostic marker for autism spectrum disorder and a target behavior in many early intervention curricula. This article describes two related studies. Study 1 evaluated the efficacy and efficiency of a behavioral screening-to-intervention model for RTN proposed by recent research. Overall, trials to mastery were reduced relative to previous research. Study 2 evaluated the efficacy of using behavioral skills training to teach caregivers to implement a RTN intervention with their child after that intervention was successful in a clinical setting. Generalized improvements in RTN with caregivers sometimes occurred but did not maintain without programmed reinforcement. Subsequent behavioral skills training was associated with increases in both child RTN and caregiver intervention fidelity.

A Comprehensive Review of Food Safety Culture in the Food Industry: Leadership, Organizational Commitment, and Multicultural Dynamics.

Food safety culture (FSC) has transitioned from a narrow compliance-based concept to a comprehensive organisational value that is essential for ensuring food safety. This review explores the pivotal roles of leadership, organisational commitment, and cultural diversity in shaping an effective FSC. It highlights how leadership style, particularly transformational leadership, can enhance employee engagement and foster a proactive safety culture. Additionally, the impact of national and organisational cultures on FSC is analysed, emphasising the challenges posed by a multicultural workforce in standardising food safety practices. This article also provides a comparative analysis of FSC across various sectors, such as meat and dairy processing, identifying sector-specific challenges and best practices. In particular, high-risk sectors tend to exhibit a stronger FSC due to regulatory pressure, while other sectors struggle with issues like communication and employee ownership. The importance of integrating behavioural training with cultural considerations is underscored as a key strategy for sustaining a positive FSC. For maintaining a strong FSC, tailored approaches, which account for cultural and operational differences, are necessary for improving food safety outcomes. This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights for industry professionals and policymakers, offering a foundation for future research and the development of more effective food safety management practices.

Non-invasive eye tracking and retinal view reconstruction in free swimming schooling fish

Eye tracking has emerged as a key method for understanding how animals process visual information, identifying crucial elements of perception and attention. Traditional fish eye tracking often alters animal behavior due to invasive techniques, while non-invasive methods are limited to either 2D tracking or restricting animals after training. Our study introduces a non-invasive technique for tracking and reconstructing the retinal view of free-swimming fish in a large 3D arena without behavioral training. Using 3D fish bodymeshes reconstructed by DeepShapeKit, our method integrates multiple camera angles, deep learning for 3D fish posture reconstruction, perspective transformation, and eye tracking. We evaluated our approach using data from two fish swimming in a flow tank, captured from two perpendicular viewpoints, and validated its accuracy using human-labeled and synthesized ground truth data. Our analysis of eye movements and retinal view reconstruction within leader-follower schooling behavior reveals that fish exhibit negatively synchronised eye movements and focus on neighbors centered in the retinal view. These findings are consistent with previous studies on schooling fish, providing a further, indirect, validation of our method. Our approach offers new insights into animal attention in naturalistic settings and potentially has broader implications for studying collective behavior and advancing swarm robotics.