Causal effects are commonly defined as comparisons of the potential outcomes under treatment and control, but this definition is threatened by the possibility that either the treatment or the control condition is not well defined, existing instead in more than one version. This is often a real possibility in nonexperimental or observational…

Purpose: This research note reports on an unexpected negative finding related to behavior change in a controlled trial designed to test whether partner training improves the conversational skills of volunteers. Method: The clinical trial involving training in "Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia" utilized a single-blind,…

In school settings, nurses lead efforts to improve the student health and well-being to support academic success. Nurses are guided by evidenced-based practice and data to inform care decisions. The randomized controlled trial (RCT) is considered the gold standard of scientific rigor for clinical trials. RCTs are critical to the development of…

This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief Alcohol Expectancy Challenge, with the aim of reducing the prevalence of alcohol consumption amongst Maltese teenagers.119 students were randomly allocated to a control or a 3-hour expectancy challenge session. Alcohol consumption and alcohol expectancies were investigated via a…

The efficacy of attention training paradigms is influenced by many factors, including the specificity of targeted cognitive processes, accuracy of outcome measures, accessibility to specialized populations, and adaptability to user capability. These issues are increasingly significant when working with children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental…

This study examined the treatment efficacy of "PEERS"® (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills) among Chinese adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Hong Kong. The original "PEERS"® manual was translated into Chinese, and cultural adjustments were made according to a survey among 209 local…

This intervention sought to bring about a dietary behavior change among individuals who are vulnerable to negative health outcomes and behaviors. Using a randomized controlled trial, we examined the efficacy of a six-week Education + "Self-Regulation" intervention against an Education Only condition in reducing saturated fat intake among…

Objective: Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to have psychological benefits in college students. We explored the effects of an academic Seminar on Compassion on student psychological health. Participants: Forty-one participants (14 male, 27 female, mean age 19.8 ± 1.4 years) were assessed pre- and post- spring semesters 2013 and…

Previous studies reveal an association between particular features of parental language input and advances in children's language learning. However, it is not known whether parent coaching aimed to enhance specific input components would (a) successfully increase these components in parents' language input and (b) result in concurrent increases in…

Recently, Chinese medical education has exhibited a shifting trend from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered learning, which usually includes a self-directed learning process. Providing students with high-quality and appropriate supplemental resources is necessary for their self-directed learning. This study aimed to investigate the…

"Attrition" is the loss of sample during the course of a study. It occurs when individuals initially randomly assigned in a study are not included when researchers examine the outcome of interest. Attrition is a common issue in education research, and it occurs for many reasons. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) is an initiative of the…

Background: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a hopping and jumping training programme (HJP) versus a sensorimotor rehabilitation programme (SRP) on postural performances in children with intellectual disability. Methods: Three groups of children with intellectual disability participated in the study: the HJP group, the SRP group…

For students performing below grade level, additional support may be required beyond the general classroom instruction. Response to Intervention is a three-tiered process that enables schools to support students performing below grade level. Individuals that need more support are placed in either Tier II or III for intervention support (McDaniel,…

Purpose: We developed and evaluated in a randomized controlled trial a computerized speechreading training program to determine (a) whether it is possible to train speechreading in deaf children and (b) whether speechreading training results in improvements in phonological and reading skills. Previous studies indicate a relationship between…

This study aimed to assess the impact of educational intervention, based on health belief model (HBM) and collaborative learning techniques on diet quality in adolescents. In this field trial study, 311 students aged 13-15 years old were included, of which 163 and 148 allocated in the experimental and comparison groups, respectively. They were…