Professional Development to Support Teachers’ Implementation of Intensive Reading Intervention: A Systematic Review

Many educators are unprepared to meet the needs of students with the most intensive reading intervention needs. The purpose of this review was to identify how researchers have provided professional development (PD) to support educators’ implementation of intensive reading interventions, the extent to which these approaches included essential PD elements, and how researchers have measured implementer outcomes. In the 26 studies reviewed, implementers received initial training, and most received some form of ongoing support. Most studies appeared to incorporate one or more essential PD elements, though many lacked sufficient detail regarding the presence of these elements. Researchers used a variety of fidelity measures and other methods to assess implementer outcomes, which were typically positive. Results of this review indicate the need for researchers to report more detailed descriptions of PD activities, as well as the need for continued research on how best to support teachers’ implementation of intensive reading interventions.

The study of fidelity measures in the context of using them as a threshold criterion in the allocation of diagnostic species

The paper is devoted to a comparative study of species fidelity measures from the viewpoint of using them as threshold criteria for distinguishing diagnostic species in the vegetation classification. The computational experiment was carried out on two test data sets on vegetation of the Dnieper floodplain in the forest-steppe zone of Ukraine (316 relevés) and forest vegetation of the city of Kyiv and suburbs (832 relevés). Classification of relevés was obtained using cluster analysis by the flexible-beta method on the Bray-Curtis distance matrix and the optimal number of clusters was determined using the Optimclass approach. In all fidelity calculations, classification of relevés has remained constant for comparability reasons. We compared the distribution properties of fidelity values using the most common fidelity indices, including phi-coefficient, IndVal, Ochiai index, chi-square statistic, Bruelheide's u, Fisher test, G-statistic, and TCR. Group-equalized and non-equalized modifications of fidelity indices were considered as separate measures. Each species was accounted in the cluster with the highest fidelity value. Such indicators were estimated as range and quartiles of values, evenness of distribution, variation of shares of diagnostic species with a variation of fidelity thresholds and vice versa, shares of species exceeding fidelity threshold in more than one cluster.

Group Counseling Plus Tailored Exercise for Multiple Sclerosis May Improve Mobility Function

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disabling disease of the central nervous system which impairs muscular function and limits individuals' ability to carry out everyday activities requiring mobility. People with MS frequently exhibit mobility problems (i.e., slower walking speed, shorter strides). General exercise training (e.g., resistance, aerobic) provides modest physiological and walking mobility benefits. However, reviewers suggest tailoring of interventions to address mobility specifically. We conducted a Phase IIa pre-post intervention development study (ORBIT intervention development model) of a mobility exercise plus cognitive behavioral counselling intervention to improve function and social cognitions known to encourage exercise. Methods: The intervention was conducted twice per week for 8 weeks followed by 1 month of self-managed mobility exercise. Participants (N = 29, mean age = 52.24 ± 11.36 years, mean time since MS diagnosis = 11+ years) were assessed at baseline and post follow-up on mobility function, social cognitions, and intervention fidelity indicators. Results: Results indicated significant improvements in a number of valid measures of mobility function (e.g., 400m walk), self-regulatory efficacy for mobility exercise and symptom control, and fidelity measures with small to medium effect sizes. Conclusions: Positive findings suggest that the intervention appears to merit testing as a randomized pilot study following the ORBIT model.

Developing, Implementing, and Improving Assessment and Treatment Fidelity in Clinical Aphasia Research

Purpose The purpose of this study was to describe the development and implementation of a fidelity program for an ongoing, multifacility, aphasia intervention study and to explain how initial fidelity measures are being used to improve study integrity. Method A Clinical Core team developed and incorporated a fidelity plan in this study. The aims of the Clinical Core team were to (a) supervise data collection and data management at each clinical site, (b) optimize and monitor assessment fidelity, and (c) optimize and monitor treatment fidelity. Preliminary data are being used to guide ongoing efforts to preserve and improve the fidelity of this intervention study. Results Preliminary results show that specific recruitment strategies help to improve appropriate referrals and that accommodations to participants and their families help to maintain excellent retention. A streamlined and centralized training program assures the reliability of assessors and raters for the study's assessment and treatment protocols. Ongoing monitoring of both assessment and treatment tasks helps to maintain study integrity. Less-than-optimal interrater reliability data for the raters of some of the discourse measures guided the Clinical Core team to address the training and coding inconsistencies in a timely manner. Conclusions The creation of a Clinical Core team is instrumental in developing and implementing a fidelity plan for improved assessment and treatment fidelity. Intentional planning and assignment of study staff to implement and monitor ongoing fidelity measures assures that clinical data are reliable and valid. Ongoing review of the plan shows areas of strengths and weaknesses for continuing adjustments and improvement of study fidelity.

What Really Works in Intervention? Using Fidelity Measures to Support Optimal Outcomes

A critical factor to move the field of physical therapy forward is the measurement of fidelity during comparisons of interventions. Fidelity translates as “faithfulness”; thus, fidelity of intervention means faithful and correct implementation of the key components of a defined intervention. Fidelity measurement guards against deviations from, or drift in, the delivery of a targeted intervention, a process necessary for evaluating the efficacy of rehabilitation approaches. Importantly, attention to fidelity measurement differentiates rehabilitation approaches from each other. However, earlier research comparing physical therapist interventions often reported findings without careful attention to fidelity measurement. The purpose of this paper is 2-fold: (1) to support the development of intervention-specific fidelity measures in physical therapy research as the gold standard for translating research findings to clinical practice, and (2) to describe the process of creating a multi-dimensional fidelity measurement instrument in rehabilitation intervention. Improved attention to fidelity measurement will allow the rehabilitation field to communicate interventions clearly with a direct link to outcomes and target the implementation of our improved intervention for the right patient problem with the right dose and the right ingredients at the right time.

A Wearable ECG Monitoring System for Resource-Constrained Settings

Recent advancement in wearable technology has created a huge impact in healthcare delivery and clinical diagnosis. Remote access of physiological, vital parameters from patients and improvement in their day-to-day quality of life were the significant indicators due to this availability of wearable technology. Though wearable physiological monitoring systems for long-term monitoring of Electro cardiogram (ECG) were developed at high-cost involvement, there is a huge need for such technology for resource-constrained settings, at a low cost. This chapter suggests a wearable ECG monitoring system by making use of single channel textile sensors for screening of cardiac episodes. The proposed Cardiac signal framework (CARDIF) with chest textile-based sensors ensures the required qualitative signal for clinical assessment and the evaluation of fidelity measures confirms its suitability for early screening of cardiac episodes. The proposed CARDIF framework involves low-cost design without sacrificing the required clinical diagnosis requirement and can be extended for long-term, continuous monitoring in resource-constrained settings.

Acceptance-enhanced behavior therapy for trichotillomania: Randomized controlled trial rationale, method, and strategies for recruiting minority participants

Trichotillomania (TTM) involves the chronic pulling out of hair to the point of hair loss or thinning, which continues despite repeated attempts to stop. Behavior therapy is a promising treatment for the condition, but studies have been limited by the lack of a credible control condition, small sample sizes, follow-up periods of short duration, and low participation by underrepresented populations. In the current article, the authors describe the theoretical rationale for an acceptance-enhanced form of behavior therapy for TTM in adults and describe the methodology used to test the efficacy of this intervention against a psychoeducation and supportive control condition. In addition, the authors discuss the importance of and difficulties encountered with enrolling minority participants into TTM research, as well as strategies used to enhance minority recruitment. Finally, the authors discuss the instruments, procedures, and related outcomes of the fidelity measures used in the randomized controlled trial.

A Study on Developing Cardiac Signals Recording Framework (CARDIF) Using a Reconfigurable Real-Time Embedded Processor

Due to recent developments in technology, there is a significant growth in healthcare monitoring systems. The most widely monitored human physiological parameters is electrocardiogram (ECG) which is useful for inferring the physiological state of humans. Most of the existing multi-channel ECG acquisition systems were not accessible in resource-constrained settings. This research study proposes a cardiac signal recording framework (CARDIF) using a reconfigurable input-output real-time embedded processor by employing a virtual instrumentation platform. The signal acquisition was configured using Lab VIEW virtual instrumentation block sets. A graphical user interface (GUI) was developed for real-time data acquisition and visualization. The time domain heart rate variability (HRV) statistics were calculated using CARDIF, and the same were compared with a clinical grade 12-channel ECG system. The quality of the acquired signals obtained from the proposed and standard systems was measured and compared by calculating signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The proposed CARDIF was evaluated qualitatively by visual inspection by a clinician and quantitatively by fidelity measures and vital parameters estimation. The results are quite promising and can be extended for clinical validations.