scholarly journals Expressive arts therapy for hospitalized children: a pilot study measuring cortisol levels

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garret Yount ◽  
Kenneth Rachlin ◽  
Jane Siegel
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Treatment Group ◽  
Expressive Arts ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Hospitalized Children ◽  
Expressive Arts Therapy ◽  
Wait List Control Group ◽  
Wait List Control ◽  
Group A ◽  
Cortisol Levels

This pilot study aimed at assessing the feasibility of capturing physiological evidence of reduced stress for hospitalized children following expressive arts therapy. Twenty-five patients were offered a novel form of expressive arts therapy, termed Healing Sock Creatures, during their stay in the hospital. Saliva samples were collected at two times in the afternoon for the purpose of measuring salivary cortisol levels. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups, a treatment group or a wait-list control group. A trend of decreased cortisol levels was apparent following therapy in the treatment group and concurrent steroid treatment, which is common in intensive care units, does not appear to interfere with the ability to measure decreased cortisol levels following therapy. Our results support the design of a formal study to assess physiological biomarkers of stress in hospital settings. To our knowledge, this is the first in-patient study assessing a biomarker of stress following expressive arts therapy for children

Combined Memory Training: An Approach for Episodic Memory Deficits in Traumatic Brain Injury

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (2S) ◽  
pp. 920-932
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Cochran D'Angelo ◽  
Beth A. Ober ◽  
Gregory K. Shenaut
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Treatment Group ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Semantic Memory ◽  
Memory Deficits ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Wait List ◽  
Wait List Control Group ◽  
Wait List Control

Purpose The study aimed to test a combination of semantic memory and traditional episodic memory therapies on episodic memory deficits in adults with traumatic brain injury. Method Twenty-five participants who had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and had episodic memory deficits were randomly assigned either to a combined memory treatment group ( n = 16) or to a wait-list control group ( n = 9). Before and after treatment, they completed standardized neuropsychological testing for episodic memory and related cognitive domains, including the California Verbal Learning Test–Second Edition, the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, the University of Southern California Repeatable Episodic Memory Test, the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence–Second Edition Matrices, the Test of Everyday Attention, the Memory Assessment Clinics Self-Rating Scale, the Expressive Vocabulary Test–Second Edition, and the Story Recall subtest from the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test. In addition to a traditional episodic memory therapy, the treatment group received a novel semantic memory–focused therapy, which involved participants finding meaningful connections between diverse concepts represented by sets of two or three words. Results The treatment group demonstrated statistically significant improvement in memory for list learning tasks, and there was a significant difference from pretest to posttest between the treatment group and the wait-list control group. Clinical significance was demonstrated for the treatment group using minimally important difference calculations. Conclusion Combined memory therapy resulted in significant improvements in episodic memory, semantic memory, and attention, in comparison to no treatment. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14049968

scholarly journals Does poverty alleviation decrease depression symptoms in post-conflict settings? A cluster-randomized trial of microenterprise assistance in Northern Uganda

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. P. Green ◽  
C. Blattman ◽  
J. Jamison ◽  
J. Annan
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Group ◽  
Poverty Alleviation ◽  
Economic Security ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Northern Uganda ◽  
Wait List ◽  
Wait List Control Group ◽  
Wait List Control ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Cluster Randomized

Background.By 2009, two decades of war and widespread displacement left the majority of the population of Northern Uganda impoverished.Methods.This study used a cluster-randomized design to test the hypothesis that a poverty alleviation program would improve economic security and reduce symptoms of depression in a sample of mostly young women. Roughly 120 villages in Northern Uganda were invited to participate. Community committees were asked to identify the most vulnerable women (and some men) to participate. The implementing agency screened all proposed participants, and a total of 1800 were enrolled. Following a baseline survey, villages were randomized to a treatment or wait-list control group. Participants in treatment villages received training, start-up capital, and follow-up support. Participants, implementers, and data collectors were not blinded to treatment status.Results.Villages were randomized to the treatment group (60 villages with 896 participants) or the wait-list control group (60 villages with 904 participants) with an allocation ration of 1:1. All clusters participated in the intervention and were included in the analysis. The intent-to-treat analysis included 860 treatment participants and 866 control participants (4.1% attrition). Sixteen months after the program, monthly cash earnings doubled from UGX 22 523 to 51 124, non-household and non-farm businesses doubled, and cash savings roughly quadrupled. There was no measurable effect on a locally derived measure of symptoms of depression.Conclusions.Despite finding large increases in business, income, and savings among the treatment group, we do not find support for an indirect effect of poverty alleviation on symptoms of depression.

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of an Integrated Treatment for Functional Speech Sound Disorders—A Randomized Controlled Trial

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1190
Author(s):  
Denise I. Siemons-Lühring ◽  
Harald A. Euler ◽  
Philipp Mathmann ◽  
Boris Suchan ◽  
Katrin Neumann
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Treatment Group ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Speech Sound ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Wait List ◽  
Speech Sound Disorders ◽  
Wait List Control Group ◽  
Wait List Control ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Background: The treatment of functional speech sound disorders (SSDs) in children is often lengthy, ill-defined, and without satisfactory evidence of success; effectiveness studies on SSDs are rare. This randomized controlled trial evaluates the effectiveness of the integrated SSD treatment program PhonoSens, which focuses on integrating phonological and phonetic processing according to the Integrated Psycholinguistic Model of Speech Processing (IPMSP). Methods: Thirty-two German-speaking children aged from 3.5 to 5.5 years (median 4.6) with functional SSD were randomly assigned to a treatment or a wait-list control group with 16 children each. All children in the treatment group and, after an average waiting period of 6 months, 12 children in the control group underwent PhonoSens treatment. Results: The treatment group showed more percent correct consonants (PCC) and a greater reduction in phonological processes after 15 therapy sessions than the wait-list control group, both with large effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 0.89 and 1.04). All 28 children treated achieved normal phonological abilities: 21 before entering school and 7 during first grade. The average number of treatment sessions was 28; the average treatment duration was 11.5 months. Conclusion: IPMSP-aligned therapy is effective in the treatment of SSD and is well adaptable for languages other than German.

Efficacy of corticosteroid therapy in the treatment of long- lasting olfactory disorders in COVID-19 patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
pp. 0-0
Author(s):  
L.A. Vaira ◽  
C. Hopkins ◽  
M. Petrocelli ◽  
J.R. Lechien ◽  
S. Cutrupi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Group ◽  
Case Control Study ◽  
Spontaneous Recovery ◽  
Olfactory Function ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Initial Control ◽  
Group A ◽  
Control Study

BACKGROUND: The growing number of COVID-19 patients with long-lasting olfactory disorders makes it necessary to identify effective treatments that enhance the spontaneous recovery of olfactory function. METHODS: Multicentre randomised case-control study that involved 18 patients with COVID-19 related anosmia or severe hyposmia for more than 30 days. Nine patients were prescribed systemic prednisone and nasal irrigation with betamethasone, ambroxol and rinazine for 15 days. The other 9, untreated, patients were used as controls. The olfactory function was evaluated with CCCRC test at 20 and 40 days from the first evaluation. RESULTS: In the control group, a median olfactory score of 20 (IQR 30) was detected at baseline. At the 20-day control there was no significant improvement in olfactory function. The improvement in olfactory performance became significant at the 40-day follow-up compared to baseline scores [60 (IQR 60) versus 20 (IQR 30)]. In the treatment group, patients had a mean olfactory score of 10 (IQR 15) at initial control. At the 20-day control, a significant im-provement in the olfactory scores, compared to the baseline, was detected [70 (IQR 40) versus 10 (IQR 15)]. Olfactory function further improved at 40 days [median score 90 (IQR 50)]. Patients in the treatment group reported significantly higher improvements of the olfactory scores than the controls at both the 20-day [40 (IQR 45) versus 10 (IQR 15)] and 40-day [60 (IQR 40) versus 30 (IQR 25)] evaluations. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results of this study, the mix of drugs including steroids could represent a useful specific therapy to reduce the prevalence of this long-term morbidity.

DigiKnowIt News: Educating youth about pediatric clinical trials using an interactive, multimedia educational website

2021 ◽  
pp. 136749352110037
Author(s):  
Alison E. Parker ◽  
Tracy M. Scull ◽  
Abigail M. Morrison
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Interactive Multimedia ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Wait List ◽  
Wait List Control Group ◽  
Wait List Control ◽  
Satisfaction Questionnaire ◽  
Study Participants

Pediatric clinical trials allow for the testing of appropriate and effective treatments for children. However, some challenges exist with recruitment. This study examined the effectiveness of DigiKnowIt News, an interactive, multimedia website (which includes activities, videos, and comic books) designed to educate children about clinical trials. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in 2018 with 91 participants ( M age = 10.92 years; SD = 2.06). Participants were randomly assigned to intervention or wait-list control groups and completed questionnaires at pretest and posttest (1 week later) about their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs about clinical trials, and self-efficacy for participating in clinical trials. Participants in the intervention group received access to DigiKnowIt News between pretest and posttest and completed a satisfaction questionnaire at posttest. At the end of the study, participants in the wait-list control group were offered the option to use the website and complete a satisfaction questionnaire. At posttest, participants in the intervention group, compared to participants in the wait-list control group, had more knowledge about clinical trials and more reported confidence for participating in clinical trials. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with DigiKnowIt News. The findings suggest that an educational website can improve factors related to increasing rates of participation in clinical trials.

scholarly journals Benefits of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention upon School Entry: A Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (23) ◽  
pp. 12630
Author(s):  
Adam Koncz ◽  
Ferenc Köteles ◽  
Zsolt Demetrovics ◽  
Zsofia K. Takacs
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Short Story ◽  
First Graders ◽  
School Entry ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mindfulness Intervention ◽  
Cortisol Levels

Background: mindfulness meditation is effective at fostering the executive functioning of children, i.e., the skills that play important roles in academic performance and social–emotional wellbeing. One possible mechanism for such an effect might be that meditation practices can decrease stress, especially if someone is at a risk for elevated cortisol levels, for instance, due to a stressful life event, such as starting school. Participants and methods: the present pilot study tested the effects of a six-session mindfulness intervention applied right after school entry compared to a passive control group. In total 61 first graders participated (Mage = 84.95 months, SD = 5.21) in this study from four classes of a primary school in Budapest. Repeated-measures ANOVA were performed to explore the effects on executive functioning skills and cortisol levels. Results: no effect was found on morning salivary cortisol levels, but the working memory capacities of girls significantly improved as a result of the intervention. Conclusions: a relatively short, story-based mindfulness intervention can improve the working memory capacities of first-graders; thus, it could potentially contribute to the academic performance and adaptation of children in schools.

scholarly journals PENGARUH PEMBERIAN AIR SEDUHAN BERAS YANG DIFERMENTASI OLEH MONASCUS PURPUREUS (ANGKAK) TERHADAP PENURUNAN KADAR KOLESTEROL SERUM PADA TIKUS PUTIH

Biomedika ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adhimass Wicaksono ◽  
Retno Sintowati ◽  
Sa’idatul Fitriyah
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Group ◽  
Serum Cholesterol ◽  
Brown Rice ◽  
Negative Control ◽  
T Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Control Group Design ◽  
Cholesterol Levels ◽  
White Rats ◽  
Group A

The using of plant-based medicine is a popular approach to health care. A study presented by American Hearth Association showing that brown rice can lower cholesterol level in bood serum. To know the benefi ts of Angkak’s steeping water to decrease serum cholesterol levels in mice and determine the effects of Angkak’s steeping water to decrease serum cholesterol levels in rats compared with simvastatin. This study used an experimental research design, and using pre and post test control group design, performed in the laboratory of biomedical III FK UMS on November 1, 2012 to date of January 1, 2013. The purposive sampling technique, sampel determinaton using formula Federer by the number of sample of 30 male white rats wistar strain. After the data is collected, analyzed using the Shapiro-Wilk test, ANOVA, LSD, and the unpaired t test. The result of this study demnstrate hypothesis testing using ANOVA test with signifi cant level 95% of the negative control group, the treatment group a dose of 1, 2, and 3, it was found p<0,05 were signifi cantly different meaning. In the test dose of LSD between treatment groups 2 and 3 the value of p=0,839 (p>0,05) wich means no signifi cant difference. In the unpaired T test between the treatment group a dose of 1, 2, and 3 with positive control group were signifi cant difference. The unpaired T test between the treatment group a dose of 1, 2, and 3 with white rice also found signifi cant difference. Conclusion: Angkak’s steeping water can lower serum cholesterol levels of white rat as well as the water steepimg Angkak has the same effectiveness with simvastatin to decrease serum cholesterol levels of mice.Keyword: Cholesterol, Angkak

scholarly journals Prevention Effect of TGF-β Type I Receptor Kinase Inhibitor in Esophageal Stricture Formation after Corrosive Burn

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Tae Kim ◽  
Kun Yung Kim
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Group ◽  
Esophageal Stricture ◽  
Kinase Inhibitor ◽  
Good Alternative ◽  
Esophageal Stenosis ◽  
Area Ratio ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Stricture Formation ◽  
Type I ◽  
Group A

Corrosive burns lead to progressive esophageal stricture and dysphagia. There are many trials to prevent Esophageal stricture formation after corrosive burn. This study aimed to access the effects of EW-7197 on prevention for esophageal stricture formation after corrosive esophageal burn. animal study were classified divided into three groups: a healthy group, a control group (corrosive burn without EW-7197), and a treatment group (corrosive burn with EW-7197). Corrosive esophageal burns were produced using 30% NaOH on the lower esophagus. For 3 weeks, the control group received vehicle and the treatment group received 20 mg/kg/day EW-7197. Treatment efficacy was assessed by measuring the stenosis ratio by esophagogram with contrast media on day 21. histologic staining was performed to evaluate the fibrosis area ratio, and western blotting was performed to evaluate fibrotic markers. Among 20 rats that underwent surgery, 14 survived. Three in the treatment group died because of esophageal perforation, and three in the control group died due to their debilitating status. The esophageal stenosis ratio was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group (12.1 &plusmn; 9.5% and 42.2 &plusmn; 8.3%, respectively; p = 0.001). The histologic fibrosis area ratio was also significantly lower in the treatment group (12.5 &plusmn; 3.0% and 21.6 &plusmn; 2.1%, respectively; p = 0.001). The treatment group showed lower expressions of profibrogenic proteins such as TGF-&beta;1, pSmad3, and &alpha;-SMA. EW-7197 may be a good alternative for the prevention esophageal stricture formation after corrosive burn.

scholarly journals Metta-based group meditation and individual cognitive behavioral therapy (MeCBT) for chronic depression: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Trials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Artjom Frick ◽  
Isabel Thinnes ◽  
Ulrich Stangier
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Chronic Depression ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Wait List ◽  
Wait List Control Group ◽  
Wait List Control

Abstract Background Depression is a widespread disorder with severe impacts for individuals and society, especially in its chronic form. Current treatment approaches for persistent depression have focused primarily on reducing negative affect and have paid little attention to promoting positive affect. Previous studies have shown that metta meditation increases positive affect in chronically depressed patients. Results from previous trials provide evidence for the efficacy of a stand-alone metta meditation group treatment in combination with mindfulness-based approaches. Further research is needed to better understand the implementation of meditation practice into everyday life. Therefore, mindfulness and metta meditation in a group setting are combined with individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) into a new, low-intensity, cost-effective treatment (“MeCBT”) for chronic depression. Methods/design In this single-center, randomized, observer-blinded, parallel-group clinical trial we will test the efficacy of MeCBT in reducing depression compared to a wait-list control condition. Forty-eight participants in a balanced design will be allocated randomly to a treatment group or a wait-list control group. Metta-based group meditation will be offered in eight weekly sessions and one additional half-day retreat. Subsequent individual CBT will be conducted in eight fortnightly sessions. Outcome measures will be assessed at four time points: before intervention (T0); after group meditation (T1); after individual CBT (T2); and, in the treated group only, at 6-month follow-up (T3). Changes in depressive symptoms (clinician rating), assessed with the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS-C) are the primary outcome. We expect a significant decline of depressive symptoms at T2 compared to the wait-list control group. Secondary outcome measures include self-rated depression, mindfulness, benevolence, rumination, emotion regulation, social connectedness, social functioning, as well as behavioral and cognitive avoidance. We will explore changes at T1 and T2 in all these secondary outcome variables. Discussion To our knowledge this is the first study to combine a group program focusing on Metta meditation with state-of-the art individual CBT specifically tailored to chronic depression. Implications for further refinement and examination of the treatment program are discussed. Trial registration ISRCTN, ISRCTN97264476. Registered 29 March 2018 (applied on 14 December 2017)—retrospectively registered.

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