The Effect of Music Therapy on Sense of Loneliness and Life Expectancy in Methamphetamine-Addicted Individuals Attempting to Quit

Background: Since there has been no research on music therapy in a systematic way so far to develop motivation and hope in the course of treating individuals who are addicted to drugs, especially stimulant drugs whose use has increased in Iran, the present research was conducted to examine the effect of music therapy on the sense of loneliness and life expectancy in methamphetamine-addicted individuals who were attempting to quit. Methods: The research is pretest, posttest, and test and control groups. The research sample includes 30 methamphetamine-addicted individuals who were quitting in a midterm residential center in Sowme'eh Sara who were selected by convenience sampling and allocated to two control (N = 15) and experiment (N = 15) groups randomly. UCLA sense of loneliness scale and Schneider statistical questionnaire (1991) were used for data collection. Results: Studies showed that music therapy could reduce the symptoms related to the sense of loneliness and increased life expectancy (P < 0.001). Conclusions: It is concluded that mental health professionals can use group music therapy to improve sense of loneliness and life expectancy in methamphetamine-addicted individuals attempting to quit. Also, it is suggested that future research should investigate the effectiveness of group music therapy in improving other psychological constructs in addicted females and males who are attempting to quit.

The Analysis of Potential Residential Area/Center Based on Residents’ Travel Behaviour and Planned Metro Stations

Metro is of vital importance in public transportation system. Recent studies have examined the influence of metro systems by various methodologies. However, few of them has focused on the stations which are planned to be built or still being built. Therefore, this study intends to evaluate the future metro stations and map the potential urban residential center, based on analyzing the metro card data of the existing metro systems. Based on a case study in Shenzhen, China, we identified 21 residential hot stations and 13 working hot stations. Also, the results indicate that most passengers have a travel length between 5-14 stops, while each residential center has its specific working center. Moreover, when the housing price decrease 1598.3 RMB per square meters, residents may be willing to move to a place with one more stop commuting time. Finally, based on two criteria established by the riding behavior, 67 new stations are found to have the chance to be new residential centers in the city. The strategy proposed in this study can help urban planners to understand the possible influences of new metro stations and assist them to do the planning work in a more appropriate way.

PROMOTING AND ATTRACTING STUDENTS TO CAREERS IN AGING SERVICES

Three student focus groups were conducted at residential, center, and online university locations (N = 15) to investigate interest and understanding of careers in gerontology and exposure to aging issues. Students majoring in health services administration, psychology, and human services were recruited and given an honorarium for participating. Sessions were recorded and transcribed with two researchers independently coding to identify themes. Center and online participants were more likely to be non-traditional students. Eighty-seven percent of participants were female, 13 percent were male. Ages ranged from 19 to 34 (M = 23.4). Eighty-seven percent were upperclassmen. This study is unique as most research has investigated aging issues with traditional aged students. Center students reported aging issues were discussed in courses outside of their majors, whereas residential students stated issues did not receive attention outside of gerontology classes. Online students stated discussions depended on the class. Common deterrents for not considering careers in gerontology were concerns about performing “physical cares” or coping with death anxiety. Few considered what a career in gerontology looked like outside of nursing homes. To increase awareness, some students felt “gerontology classes should be mandatory.” Students felt taking field trips to modern nursing homes “changed their perspective,” from medical model facilities. All participants reported little exposure to older adults or gerontology as a viable career path in high school. With the rapidly aging population, we suggest incorporating a “Careers in Aging” unit in high schools to increase awareness of gerontology opportunities.

Pilot Study about a Multifactorial Intervention Programme in Older Adults with Technological Devices Based on GeriaTIC Project

This pilot study was carried out with a sample of six older persons in a residential center in A Coruña. It is a “quasi-experimental” study, directed to assess the effect of an intervention on a given population, performing “pre” and “post” intervention measurements, but without comparison with a control group. The multifactorial intervention had a duration of 3 months, which includes the use of technological devices, like a wristband of physical activity and sleep.

Efektivitas Perkotaan Gemolong sebagai Pusat Pelayanan Permukiman di Kabupaten Sragen

<pre><em>The nodal’s region is a region that is functionally dependent between the center (core) and the peripheral area (the area served). The existence of the order level in each center also affects the size of the service area served. The Sragen regency that is applying the concept of nodal region has two residential center; “urban Sragen” and “urban Gemolong”. Although urban Gemolong has become a nodal center of settlements for the six sub-districts which are the area of </em><em></em><em>service but there are still services that are not available such as universities, museums and theaters. Apart from that, the location of Gemolong urban service area that is close to Solo, Porwodadi, and Boyolali, in which have higher order(hierarchy) would attract people in the outskirts to meet the needs of their settlement services into these cities. Therefore, this study is</em><em> </em><em>aim to identify the effectiveness of urban Gemolong as a settlement service center in the Sragen regency. There are two objective of this research; (1) First to identify the condition of urban service of Gemolong as settlement service center in Sragen regency in terms of effectiveness variable of settlement service center and, (2) secondly analyze the effectiveness of urban Gemolong as settlement service center in Sragen regency. The research approach used is deductive, with the quantitative research type using scoring analysis. Survey conducted for this research is the primary survey in the form of observation, and secondary survey in the form of data review. From the result, </em><em>the effectiveness Gemolong urban which has three variables there is only one variable is suitable (service purpose)</em><em>, while service efficiency and affordability are not suitable. The effectiveness of the urban Gemolong as settlement service center in Sragen regency is approaching into effectiveness, which means it has not been effective, so it needs to be improved, especially for the availability and scope of services.</em></pre>