Enhancing interactions during daily routines: A randomized controlled trial of a web-based tutorial for parents of young children with ASD

BACKGROUND Growing numbers of people use medication for chronic conditions; non-adherence is common, leading to poor disease control. A newly developed web-based tool to identify an increased risk for non-adherence with related potential individual barriers might facilitate tailored interventions and improve adherence. OBJECTIVE To assess the effectiveness of the newly developed tool to improve medication adherence. METHODS A cluster randomized controlled trial assessed the effectiveness of this adherence tool in patients initiating cardiovascular or oral blood glucose lowering medication. Participants were included in community pharmacies. They completed an online questionnaire comprising an assessments of their risk for medication non-adherence and subsequently of barriers to adherence. In pharmacies belonging to the intervention group, individual barriers displayed in a graphical profile on a tablet were discussed by pharmacists and patients at high non-adherence risk in face to face meetings and shared with their general practitioners and practice nurses. Tailored interventions were initiated by the healthcare providers. Barriers of control patients were not presented or discussed and these patients received usual care. The primary outcome was the difference in medication adherence at 8 months follow-up between patients with an increased non-adherence risk from intervention and control group, calculated from dispensing data. RESULTS Data from 492 participants in 15 community pharmacies were available for analyses (intervention 253, 7 pharmacies; control 239, 8 pharmacies). The intervention had no effect on medication adherence (-0.01; 95%CI -0.59 – 0.57; P= .96), neither in the post hoc per protocol analysis (0.19; 95%CI -0.50 – 0.89; P=.58). CONCLUSIONS This study showed no effectiveness of a risk stratification and tailored intervention addressing personal barriers for medication adherence. Various potential explanations for lack of effect were identified. These explanations relate for instance to high medication adherence in the control group, study power and fidelity. Process evaluation should elicit possible improvements and inform the redesign of intervention and implementation. CLINICALTRIAL The Netherlands National Trial Register: NTR5186. Date: May 18, 2015 (http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=5186)

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Effectiveness of a web-based acceptance and commitment therapy program for adolescent career preparation: A randomized controlled trial

Journal of Vocational Behavior ◽

10.1016/j.jvb.2021.103578 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 127 ◽

pp. 103578

Author(s):

Noona Kiuru ◽

Anne Puolakanaho ◽

Päivi Lappalainen ◽

Katariina Keinonen ◽

Saija Mauno ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Career Preparation ◽

Web Based ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Therapy Program ◽

Commitment Therapy ◽

Acceptance And Commitment

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Pivotal Response Treatment with and without robot-assistance for children with autism: a randomized controlled trial

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry ◽

10.1007/s00787-021-01804-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Iris van den Berk-Smeekens ◽

Manon W. P. de Korte ◽

Martine van Dongen-Boomsma ◽

Iris J. Oosterling ◽

Jenny C. den Boer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Pivotal Response Treatment ◽

Robot Assisted ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Robot Assistance

AbstractPivotal response treatment (PRT) is a promising intervention focused on improving social communication skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Since robots potentially appeal to children with ASD and may contribute to their motivation for social interaction, this exploratory randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted comparing PRT (PRT and robot-assisted PRT) with treatment-as-usual (TAU). Seventy-three children (PRT: n = 25; PRT + robot: n = 25; TAU: n = 23) with ASD, aged 3–8 years were assessed at baseline, after 10 and 20 weeks of intervention, and at 3-month follow-up. There were no significant group differences on parent- and teacher-rated general social-communicative skills and blindly rated global functioning directly after treatment. However, at follow-up largest gains were observed in robot-assisted PRT compared to other groups. These results suggest that robot-assistance may contribute to intervention efficacy for children with ASD when using game scenarios for robot-child interaction during multiple sessions combined with motivational components of PRT. This trial is registered at https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/4487; NL4487/NTR4712 (2014-08-01).

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The Influence of Connectedness to Nature on Psychological Well-Being: Evidence from the Randomized Controlled Trial Play&Grow

Challenges ◽

10.3390/challe12010012 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 12

Author(s):

Tanja Sobko ◽

Gavin T. L. Brown

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Young Children ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Well Being ◽

Path Model ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Connectedness To Nature ◽

Randomized Controlled

Urbanized children today have fewer opportunities to interact with nature which may lead to a greater risk of mental health problems. The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate which particular changes in connectedness to nature (CN) would improve psychological well-being (PW) in young children. Six hundred and thirty-nine preschoolers (52.0% boys, age 34.9 ± 9.5 months) participated in Play&Grow, an early environmental education intervention. Children’s CN and PW were evaluated by parents before and after the program with validated measures; the CNI-PPC (four factors) and the SDQ, Strength and Difficulties questionnaire (five factors), respectively. The effectiveness of the intervention on the primary outcomes (CN, PW) as well as the relationship between them was analyzed in a repeated measures path model with intervention status as a causal predictor. Specific CN factors consistently increased ProSocial behavior and reduced Hyperactivity and Emotional problems. In summary, this study showed that the previously reported impact shifted from the total CN score to the specific CN factors. The Play&Grow intervention positively increased children’s CN and improved some aspects of psychological well-being in children which is a preliminary evidence of developmental benefits of connecting young children with nature. Our results indicate promising direction of action for the improvement of families’ psychological health.

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