Intervention Approach (intervention + approach)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Kinds of Intervention Approach

  • early intervention approach


  • Selected Abstracts


    Age of Drinking Onset as a Moderator of the Efficacy of Parent-Based, Brief Motivational, and Combined Intervention Approaches to Reduce Drinking and Consequences Among College Students

    ALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2010
    Kimberly A. Mallett
    Background:, The current study tested age of onset as a moderator of intervention efficacy on drinking and consequence outcomes among a high-risk population of college students (i.e., former high school athletes). Methods:, Students were randomized to one of four conditions: assessment only control, combined parent-based intervention (PBI) and brief motivational intervention (BMI), PBI alone, and BMI alone. Participants (n = 1,275) completed web-administered measures at baseline (summer before starting college) and 10-month follow-up. Results:, Overall, the combined intervention demonstrated the strongest and most consistent reductions across all outcomes, particularly with the youngest initiators. Participants who initiated drinking at the youngest ages had significantly lower peak drinking, typical weekly drinking, and reported consequences at follow-up when they received the combined intervention when compared to the control group. The BMI and PBI groups, when examined independently, demonstrated significant effects across outcomes but were inconsistent across the different age groups. Conclusion:, Results suggest the combination of a PBI and a peer-delivered BMI is an appropriate and efficacious way to reduce drinking and related consequences among individuals who initiated drinking earlier in adolescence and are at an increased risk of experiencing alcohol problems. [source]


    Clinician attitudes towards early psychosis intervention: the first 4 years

    ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2002
    J. Gorrell
    Objectives, A questionnaire was administered with an aim to assess the attitudes of mental health clinicians towards the adoption of an early intervention approach and to monitor attitudinal change during the introduction of this approach. Method, The perceptions of Early Psychosis Intervention (PEPI) questionnaire was developed and then completed by clinicians at three time points over 4 years during the introduction of a best practice early intervention approach (n=143, 178, 102, respectively). Results, Indicate that at all three time points clinicians generally agreed with the potential advantages of early intervention but were unsure about their own readiness to implement such intervention. Responses to an open-ended question regarding concerns about the new approach indicated a positive shift up the developmental process of change, from initial concerns about personal skills, resources and workload, to a gradually more specific focus on particular aspects of clinical interventions and on the impact of the new approach. Conclusions, Our services have introduced early psychosis intervention. Clinicians have moved up the developmental process of change. The questionnaire has provided a means for clinicians to influence the change process. [source]


    The rationale for early intervention in schizophrenia and related disorders

    EARLY INTERVENTION IN PSYCHIATRY, Issue 2009
    Merete Nordentoft
    Abstract Aim: To examine the rationale and evidence supporting an early intervention approach in schizophrenia. Methods: A selective literature review was conducted. Results: During the onset of schizophrenia, there is often a significant delay between the emergence of psychotic symptoms and the initiation of treatment. The average duration of untreated psychosis is around 1,2 years. During this period, brain function may continue to deteriorate and social networks can be irreversibly damaged. Studies have consistently linked longer duration of untreated psychosis with poorer outcomes and this relationship holds even after controlling for the potential confounding variable of premorbid functioning. In Norway, the early Treatment and Intervention in PSychosis study demonstrated that duration of untreated psychosis is amenable to intervention with the combination of educational campaigns and specialized early detection units substantially decreasing the period from onset of symptoms to treatment initiation. Furthermore, recent evidence from the randomized controlled OPUS and the Lambeth Early Onset trial studies have linked phase-specific early interventions to improved outcomes spanning symptoms, adherence to treatment, comorbid drug abuse, relapse and readmission. Some benefits persist after cessation of the intervention. Conclusions: Early intervention in schizophrenia is justified to reduce the negative personal and social impact of prolonged periods of untreated symptoms. Furthermore, phase-specific interventions are associated with improved outcomes, at least in the short term. Further research is needed to establish the optimum duration of such programmes. [source]


    Limited surgical interventions in children with posterior urethral valves can lead to better outcomes following renal transplantation

    PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 5 2002
    Leah Bartsch
    Abstract: There is currently no consensus as to the most appropriate means by which children with posterior urethral valves (PUV) are to be managed prior to transplantation. We compared (i) renal allograft survival and function in patients with PUV vs. those with non-obstructive causes of ESRD and (ii) graft outcomes in children who had limited interventions (Group 1) vs. those with more extensive urologic surgeries to decompress the urinary tract (Group 2). Twenty-six pediatric renal transplant recipients had ESRD due to PUV (Group 1, n = 16; Group 2, n = 10). The study group was compared to 23 matched controls with ESRD due to non-obstructive causes. Five yr patient and graft survival was similar in all patients with PUV (Groups 1 and 2) when compared to all other kidney recipients in the transplant program, 96.2% vs. 98.0% and 87.5% vs. 87.0%, respectively. Although calculated creatinine clearance (Ccr), was similar between the PUV group and controls for the first 4 yr, the 5 yr graft function was significantly lower in the PUV group. (53.7 ± 15.7 vs. 70.2 ± 21.0 mL/min/1.73 m2; p = 0.03). When the two PUV groups were compared, graft survival was equivalent, but graft function was significantly better at 5 yr in Group 1(60.4 ± 10.8 vs. 33.8 ± 9.3 mL/min/1.73 m2; p = 0.02). Thus, patients with PUV managed by a limited intervention approach of vesicostomy with delayed valve ablation or primary valve ablation, had better outcomes. When ESRD is virtually certain, additional pre-transplant surgeries affecting the urinary tract should be avoided. [source]


    Psychological interventions for long-term conditions: a review of approaches, content and outcomes

    PHYSIOTHERAPY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2008
    Carol Doyle
    Background.,People living with long-term conditions are more likely to see their GP and experience limitations in their daily activities (Department of Health, 2005). Psychological interventions, specifically cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), aimed at helping people to cope and self-manage these conditions, are popular. This review aims to summarize the evidence from good-quality systematic reviews of psychological interventions to inform the management of, and future research in, patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Cochrane reviews were used as these are considered to be of good quality (Handoll et al., 2002).,Method.,We identified Cochrane reviews of psychological interventions for common chronic health conditions in adults across all healthcare settings. Data on intervention approach, content, delivery and outcomes were extracted and summarized.,Results.,Nine Cochrane reviews, in asthma (n = 1), diabetes (n = 2), coronary heart disease (n = 1) and chronic musculoskeletal pain (n = 5) were identified. These reviews included 131 clinical trials and over 20,200 patients. Psychological interventions were wide ranging, many using a variety of CBT, mostly delivered in secondary care settings by nurses or psychologists. Physiotherapists were involved in some studies as part of multidisciplinary teams. Due to the complexity and diversity of the interventions, individually effective components could not be identified. Interpretation of studies was difficult because of heterogeneity in intervention content, delivery and outcomes measured. Conclusion.,Physiotherapists involved in the management of long-term conditions, particularly chronic musculoskeletal pain, can perhaps learn from this evidence base. Future research should investigate the effectiveness of individual components of CBT and the role of physiotherapists in delivering this type of intervention. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Psychological Well-being: Evidence Regarding its Causes and Consequences,

    APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY: HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, Issue 2 2009
    Felicia A Huppert
    This review focuses on positive aspects of well-being, or flourishing. It examines evidence for the causes of positive well-being and also its consequences, including beneficial effects for many aspects of cognitive functioning, health, and social relationships. The neurobiological basis of psychological well-being is examined, and recent data on brain activation and neurochemical pathways are presented. Individuals vary widely in their habitual level of psychological well-being, and there is evidence for a seminal role of social factors and the early environment in this process. It is often assumed that the drivers of well-being are the same as (but in the opposite direction to) the drivers of ill-being, but while this is true for some drivers, others have more selective effects. Future developments in the science of well-being and its application require a fresh approach,beyond targeting the alleviation of disorder to a focus on personal and interpersonal flourishing. A universal intervention approach is outlined which may both increase population flourishing and reduce common mental health problems. [source]


    Appraising riparian management effects on benthic macroinvertebrates in the Wye River system

    AQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue S1 2010
    Esther Clews
    Abstract 1.Agriculture, urbanization or forestry in river catchments can influence river organisms through diffuse effects on hydrology and hydrochemistry, or local effects on habitat character, bank erosion and sediment delivery. Riparian buffer zones are sometimes established to mitigate undesirable effects on salmonids, but consequences for organisms such as macroinvertebrates are less well known. 2.Riparian fencing and tree coppicing were carried out on upland tributaries of the Welsh River Wye (UK) from 1997 onwards with the aim of enhancing conditions for salmonid fish. The present study used routine, agency monitoring data to compare assemblages in three recently managed streams and five adjacent control streams. Data between 1995 and 2004 were used to assess treatment effects through time. 3.Post-treatment (2000,2004) assemblages were richer in recently managed streams than in controls, mostly due to apparent gains of taxa typical of channel margins and lowland, warmer conditions. However, results were equivocal because invertebrate families typical of lowland, more eutrophic conditions increased in occurrence in all reaches irrespective of treatment, while overall richness declined. 4.This study illustrates how routine monitoring data can reveal some effects of riparian land-use and management on stream biota. However, improved experimental design, ideally using a before,after control,intervention approach, would have allowed more effective assessment in this case study where confounding trends were so marked. We advocate using such approaches in future restoration studies to allow stronger inference and greater statistical power. The recent general decline in the richness of typical headwater organisms in the Wye system requires investigation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Catherine's legacy: social communication development for individuals with profound learning difficulties and fragile life expectancies

    BRITISH JOURNAL OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, Issue 3 2005
    Mary Kellett
    In this article, Mary Kellett, of the Children's Research Centre at the Open University, draws on case study evidence to illustrate how an 11,year-old girl's quality of life was transformed in the last few months before she died when an Intensive Interaction intervention approach was adopted. The study raises issues about the way we respond to individuals with the most profound disabilities who are hardest to reach and have fragile life expectancies. It also examines the role of the researcher in situations where a participant dies; how this impacts on data processing - particularly where this involves video footage of a participant -and the complex ethics which need to be considered. Initially, the sadness of the situation and the incompleteness of the data overshadowed the findings. Due attention was not given to the contribution Catherine's data could make to our knowledge and understanding of the lived experiences of children like her and the implications this has for policy and practice. However, ,interrupted' findings from her case study point to the effectiveness of the Intensive Interaction approach in developing sociability, particularly with regard to eye contact and the ability to attend to a joint focus. This article affirms the principle that it is never too late to start an intervention; that severity of impairment should not be a barrier to this; and that the social interaction Intensive Interaction promotes can make a crucial difference to quality of life. [source]


    Inhibitory functioning across ADHD subtypes: Recent findings, clinical implications, and future directions

    DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES RESEARCH REVIEW, Issue 4 2008
    Zachary W. Adams
    Abstract Although growing consensus supports the role of deficient behavioral inhibition as a central feature of the combined subtype of ADHD (ADHD/C; Barkley 1997 Psychol Bull 121:65,94; Nigg 2001 Psychol Bull 127:571,598), little research has focused on how this finding generalizes to the primarily inattentive subtype (ADHD/I). This question holds particular relevance in light of recent work suggesting that ADHD/I might be better characterized as a disorder separate from ADHD/C (Diamond 2005 Dev Psychopathol 17:807,825; Milich et al. 2001 Clin Psychol Sci Pract 8:463,488). This article describes major findings in the area of inhibitory performance in ADHD and highlights recent research suggesting important areas of divergence between the subtypes. In particular, preliminary findings point to potential differences between the subtypes with respect to how children process important contextual information from the environment, such as preparatory cues that precede responses and rewarding or punishing feedback following behavior. These suggestive findings are discussed in the context of treatment implications, which could involve differential intervention approaches for each subtype targeted to the specific deficit profiles that characterize each group of children. Future research avenues aimed toward building a sound theoretical model of ADHD/I and a better understanding of its relation to ADHD/C are also presented. Specifically, investigators are encouraged to continue studying the complex interplay between inhibitory and attentional processes, as this area seems particularly promising in its ability to improve our understanding of the potentially distinct pathologies underlying the ADHD subtypes. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Dev Disabil Res Rev 2008;14:268,275. [source]


    Community reinforcement and family training: an effective option to engage treatment-resistant substance-abusing individuals in treatment

    ADDICTION, Issue 10 2010
    Hendrik G. Roozen
    ABSTRACT Aims Many individuals with substance use disorders are opposed to seeking formal treatment, often leading to disruptive relationships with concerned significant others (CSOs). This is disturbing, as untreated individuals are often associated with a variety of other addiction-related problems. Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) provides an option to the more traditional treatment and intervention approaches. The objective of this systematic review was to compare CRAFT with the Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous (Al-Anon/Nar-Anon) model and the Johnson Institute intervention in terms of its ability to engage patients in treatment and improve the functioning of CSOs. Methods The electronic databases PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library were consulted. Four high-quality randomized controlled trials were identified, with a total sample of 264 CSOs. Data were synthesized to quantify the effect with 95% confidence intervals, using the random effects model. Results CRAFT produced three times more patient engagement than Al-Anon/Nar-Anon [relative risk (RR) 3.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.11,5.02, P < 0.0001; numbers needed to treat (NNT) = 2] and twice the engagement of the Johnson Institute intervention (RR 2.15, 95% CI 1.28,3.62, P = 0.004; NNT = 3). Overall, CRAFT encouraged approximately two-thirds of treatment-resistant patients to attend treatment, typically for four to six CRAFT sessions. CSOs showed marked psychosocial and physical improvements whether they were assigned to CRAFT, Al-Anon/Nar-Anon or the Johnson Institute intervention within the 6-month treatment window. Conclusion CRAFT has been found to be superior in engaging treatment-resistant substance-abusing individuals compared with the traditional programmes. [source]


    Cognitive and behavioral characteristics of children with Williams syndrome: Implications for intervention approaches,

    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 2 2010
    Carolyn B. Mervis
    Abstract Portrayals of individuals with Williams syndrome (WS), a genetic disorder caused by a microdeletion of ,25 genes on chromosome 7q11.23, have reached the general public through a variety of media formats. These descriptions are often paradoxical in nature with individuals with WS repeatedly described as demonstrating near-normal language despite the presence of significant intellectual disability and as being extremely sociable and friendly in spite of their seemingly limited understanding of basic social norms. While this depiction of WS served to attract the interest of basic-science researchers, the results of subsequent studies have provided a more nuanced view. For example, rather than across-the-board "near-normal" language, children with WS demonstrate relative strengths in concrete vocabulary and verbal short-term memory, grammatical abilities at the level expected for general intellectual ability, and considerable weakness in relational/conceptual language and pragmatics (social use of language). To provide a more thorough characterization of the WS behavioral phenotype, we summarize recent findings related to intellectual ability, language development, memory development, executive function development, adaptive behavior skills, and behavior as it relates to learning by children with WS. Finally, we briefly discuss intervention approaches that may help children with WS to achieve their full potential. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Sociocultural Perceptions and Patterns of Cigarette and Alcohol Use among College Students in Vietnam

    ASIAN SOCIAL WORK AND POLICY REVIEW, Issue 3 2008
    Paul DuongTran
    This empirical study was conducted in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to investigate cross-sectionally the influences of sociocultural contexts on the patterns of addictive substance use cigarette, alcohol, and illicit drugs. A sample of 202 monolingual adults who were enrolled in college courses at the University of Hanoi in Vietnam responded to a self-reported questionnaire in their native language on the frequency, quantity, and occasions of addictive behavior. The project staff were fluent in English and Vietnamese. The questionnaire was critically reviewed for its face validity and cultural appropriateness before being translated into Vietnamese. In addition to patterns of use, this research explored the central role of drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes in peer socialization among college adults. Vietnam, like other Asian cultures, emphasizes initiation and conformity to social traditions and norms. The empirical findings provide invaluable knowledge of the complex roles of cigarette and alcohol in the social processes and relationship-building among college adults in Vietnam. Further knowledge will assist in identifying intervention approaches and health prevention that is more focused and congruent with cultural and social beliefs about this behavior and these substances. Its implications for research into culturally appropriate intervention and prevention are also discussed. [source]


    Childhood Fears and Phobias: Assessment and Treatment

    CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 2 2005
    Neville J. King
    The specific phobias in children, such as night-time fears and animal phobias, should not be underestimated since they cause personal distress to the child and also much interference with daily activities. Intervention plans should be informed by multi-method assessment, using tools that are empirically sound and developmentally sensitive. We selectively review a number of assessment tools, including structured diagnostic interview schedules, standardised instruments such as anxiety or fear self-report questionnaires, and behavioural tasks. We provide an overview of the main intervention approaches, from a behavioural perspective, including traditional behavioural intervention procedures such systematic desensitisation and its variants, cognitive-behavioural therapy, and behavioural family therapy. We also present recent developments in psychodynamic treatment for phobic and anxious children. Medications are also discussed because of their possible use with psychosocial interventions. Finally, we present our conclusions on the empirical standing of the various treatment approaches and also examine the important issue of treatment outcome prediction. [source]


    A sea change on the island continent: frameworks for risk assessment, prevention and intervention in child health in Australia

    CHILDREN & SOCIETY, Issue 2 2005
    Joanne Williams
    This article overviews prevention and early intervention approaches focusing specifically on their relevance to the health of children and young people in Australia. Australian public health has a sound track record although concealed within the aggregate profile are a number of sub-populations with poorer health indicators. Recognition of this has increased efforts to improve the health of children and young people especially in exploring the impact of social environments within the communities where children are raised. This paper examines emerging research in this area drawing out key lessons and learning from Australian experience in the field of early intervention and prevention in community settings. [source]