Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “conception”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources

Self-concept changes over time in cognitive-behavioral treatment for smoking cessation.

A smoker self-concept and an abstainer self-concept are individual difference variables that have been shown to predict smoking cessation. We examined whether these self-concept constructs changed as a function of participating in a clinic-based smoking cessation program and, specifically, whether these changes occurred differentially between posttreatment smokers and abstainers. Subjects completed the Smoker Self-concept scale and the Abstainer Self-concept scale at three time points: pretreatment, posttreatment, and 3 months' posttreatment. Smoking status was assessed and biochemically verified directly after quit day and 3 months' posttreatment. Results indicated that abstainers' smoker self-concept decreased more precipitously over time compared to smokers'. Abstainers showed consistent increases over time in their abstainer self-concept, and smokers showed increases followed by decreases to pretreatment levels. Clinical implications are discussed.

Adult↗

Continuing education in nursing: a concept analysis.

The importance of continuing education for nurses has been increasingly emphasized in the nursing literature since the beginning of the profession. The concept of continuing education is often used as a substitute for associated terms such as continuing professional development and lifelong learning, thus highlighting a need for its clarification. The purpose of this article is to explain and describe continuing education, in order to encourage a broader understanding of the concept among nurses. The concept analysis is directed by Rodgers' [Rodgers, B.L., 1989. Concept analysis and the development of nursing knowledge: the evolutionary cycle. Journal of Advanced Nursing 14, 330-335] 'evolutionary approach' which is viewed as an ongoing dynamic process, and one that identifies the shared meaning of concepts. Examining everyday discourse used in the nursing literature identified the critical attributes, antecedents and consequence of continuing education in nursing. As a result, the emerging attributes of the concept are synthesised into a conceptual model. The article concludes with an exploration of the application of the concept of continuing education within nursing and its implications for professional development.

Concept Formation↗

Self-concept as a "BMT patient", illness intrusiveness, and engulfment in allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVE: The experience of cancer and its treatment by bone marrow transplantation (BMT) can enhance the salience of one's status as a patient in the evolution of self-concept. Illness and the patient role can come to dominate the sense of self, resulting in feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and distress ("engulfment"). Illness-induced lifestyle disruptions ("illness intrusiveness") introduce adaptive demands, challenging preexisting conceptions of self. Illness intrusiveness and engulfment may interact, leading affected individuals to construe themselves as highly similar to a prototypical "BMT patient". METHODS: Ninety allogeneic BMT outpatients completed the Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale, Modified Engulfment Scale, and a semantic differential measure of self-concept as a BMT patient in an interview context. RESULTS: Illness intrusiveness correlated significantly with engulfment (r=.58, P<.0001) and with self-concept as a BMT patient (r=.27, P<.016). Engulfment did not correlate significantly with self-concept as a BMT patient (r=.15). Multiple regression analysis, controlling for relevant covariates, indicated a significant Illness Intrusiveness x Engulfment interaction effect on self-concept as a BMT patient [F(1,84)=4.93, P<.029]. CONCLUSIONS: Self-concept as a BMT patient increases as cancer and its treatment introduce increasing lifestyle disruptions (illness intrusiveness). These effects are amplified when self-experience is dominated by disease and treatment and patients feel helpless, hopeless, and distressed (engulfment).

Adaptation, Psychological↗

How do preschool children feel about themselves? Unraveling measurement and multidimensional self-concept structure.

Theoretical models suggest that 4- and 5-year-old children should be able to differentiate between multiple dimensions of self-concept, but empirical support is limited. A new 38-item Self Description Questionnaire for Preschoolers (SDQP) that measures 6 self-concept factors (Physical, Appearance, Peers, Parents, Verbal, and Math) was developed and tested. Through an individual-interview procedure, young children (4.0-5.6 years) completed the SDQP and achievement tests. The self-concept scales were reliable (.75-.89), first-order and higher order confirmatory factor analysis models fit the data, and factor correlations were mostly moderate (-.03-.73; Mdn = .29). Achievement test scores correlated modestly with academic self-concept factors (rs = .15-40) but were nonsignificantly or significantly negatively related to nonacademic self-concepts. The results contribute to the critical debate about the validity of self-reports for preschool children, who distinguished between multiple dimensions of self-concept at an even younger age than suggested by previous self-concept research.

Achievement↗

Expert: a discussion of the implications of the concept as used in nursing.

The concept 'expert' has become common in the nursing literature since Benner's (1984) work more than a decade ago. Whilst the term has a common meaning, it is apparent that when used in nursing it refers to a multitude of attributes and lacks clear definition. This paper uses the strategy for concept analysis developed by Walker & Avant (1988) to seek an operational definition for the concept of 'expert', and suggests the defining attributes of: possession of a specialized body of knowledge and skill; extensive experience in a field of practice; highly developed levels of pattern recognition, and acknowledgement by others. These are discussed in relation to nursing practice and the circumstances under which the concept is used. Development of cases is carried out to exemplify the concept, and the antecedents and consequences of the attributes are discussed, suggesting that the concept lacks clarity, both in conceptualization, and in use. A first definition of the concept is posed to open debate concerning the relevance of the term for the future. The conclusions reached suggest that whilst an operational definition is unlikely to be found, because of the problems of definition and measurement, it is possible, through various strategies, to recognize expert practice and use it to further develop nursing. Furthermore, it is likely to become increasingly important to recognize and reward expert practitioners, given the political and economic constraints in health care today.

Concept Formation↗

Creativity: a refinement of the concept for nursing practice.

AIMS: This paper seeks to remove some of the ambiguity surrounding the conceptual meaning of creativity using techniques of concept refinement to advance the concept. BACKGROUND: Creativity is an essential component of nursing practice that occurs daily in nurse's interactions with clients, families and other nurses. Failure to acknowledge and encourage creativity in beginning nurses may hinder future development and innovations in nursing practice and in nursing science. In order to promote the development of creativity it is first necessary to clarify and refine the concept as it applies to nursing. DESIGN/METHODS: A comprehensive review of a variety of computer and online databases resulted in thousands of articles on creativity between the years 1966 and 1999. The final sample (n = 48) was obtained using both stratified random and purposive sampling techniques. A content analysis of the literature was conducted using methods identified by Morse and illustrated in the work of Hupcey et al. Having determined the concept to be partially mature, the concept was advanced using techniques of concept refinement. FINDINGS: Content analysis of the literature yielded three differing definitions for creativity: revelation, birth and reincarnation. Creativity occurs in the presence of intrinsic motivation and a nurturing environment. While value is often used to identify whether a product is creative, the value of the product cannot determine whether the process has occurred. The product produced determines evidence of the process of creativity. LIMITATIONS: Limitations of this investigation are the use of secondary sources and the relatively small sample size (n = 48). CONCLUSIONS: Refinement of the concept of creativity indicates that it is a process that may be developed and influenced by the environment and is recognized by the product produced. Further investigation is needed to explore methods and techniques for developing creativity in nursing.

Concept Formation↗

Selected factors influencing self-concept among hospitalized Chinese school-age children with a chronic illness.

A correlational descriptive study was conducted to investigate self-concept and selected influencing factors among hospitalized Chinese school-age children with a chronic illness. The purposive sample was composed of 122 school-age children with chronic illnesses, such as nephrotic syndrome, leukemia, and congenital heart disease, who were admitted to three major teaching hospitals in Shanghai City. The children's medical records, demographic forms, and the Piers-Harris Self-concept Scale (PHSCS) were used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics, and stepwise multiple regression were used to analyze the data utilizing the SPSS program (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA). The results of this study showed that the majority of hospitalized Chinese school-age children with a chronic illness had at least an average level of self-concept. Academic achievement (grade point average) was a strong predictor of self-concept, as are most of its subconcepts, including social behavior, academic competence, and physical appearance and attributes. Age was a significant predictor of overall self-concept, social behavior, and popularity subconcept. Sex was a significant predictor of self-concept subconcepts such as social behavior, anxiety, and popularity. Duration of illness was a significant predictor of physical appearance and attributes. In addition, the type of illness was a significant predictor of popularity. It can be concluded that the importance of school education should be emphasized by hospital and school nurses for the purpose of helping such children build a positive self-concept concerning their age, sex, academic achievement, type of illness, and duration of illness. Recommendations for further research have been suggested.

Adolescent↗

Enhancing Latin American women's self-concept: a group intervention.

This study attempts to explore the self-concept of Latin American immigrant adult women and measure the effectiveness of an "Enhancing Self-Concept" workshop on improving their self-concept. The sample consisted of 74 adult women aged 20 to 60 who were selected from first-level second-language courses from various educational institutions in Montreal. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group who received an "Enhancing Self-Concept" workshop or a control group who received a series of information sessions. Outcome measures consisted of scores on the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS) and a Post-Intervention Questionnaire (PIQ). Participants were tested before and after their respective treatments, depending on the measure used. The results are discussed in relation to effectiveness of the "Enhancing Self-Concept" workshop in improving immigrant Latin American women's self-concept. Implications and suggestions for future research are included.

Adult↗

Why are artificial polymorphous concepts so hard for birds to learn?

Stimulus sets defined in terms of artificial polymorphous concepts have frequently been used in experiments to investigate the mechanisms of discrimination of natural concepts, both in humans and in other animals. However, such stimulus sets are frequently difficult for either animals or humans to discriminate. Properties of artificial polymorphous stimulus sets that might explain this difficulty include the complexity of the individual stimuli, the unreliable reinforcement of individual positive features, attentional load, difficulties in discriminating some stimulus dimensions, memory load, and a lack of the correlation between features that characterizes natural concepts. An experiment using chickens as subjects and complex artificial visual stimulus sets investigated these hypotheses by training the birds in discriminations that were not polymorphous but did have some of the properties listed above. Discriminations that involved unreliable reinforcement or high attentional load were found to approach the difficulty of polymorphous concept discriminations, and these two factors together were sufficient to account for the entire difficulty. The usual kind of artificial polymorphous concept may not be a good model for natural concepts as they are perceived and discriminated by birds. A RULEX account of natural concept learning may be preferable.

Animals↗

The self-concept of adolescents with cleft lip and palate: a pilot study using a multidimensional/hierarchical measurement instrument.

OBJECTIVE: To pilot the use of a multidimensional/hierarchical measurement instrument called the self-description questionnaire II to determine whether specific areas of self-concept in a group of adolescents with cleft lip and palate would be affected by their condition when compared with a normative sample. PARTICIPANTS AND DESIGN: The self-concept of 23 adolescents with a cleft of the lip and palate was compared to an Australian normative sample. Adolescents attending the dental department of a paediatric hospital in Australia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The main outcome measure was a self-report questionnaire (102 items) with 10 domain-specific scales and a global measure of general self-concept. RESULTS: When compared to the normative data the study group showed significant differences in 4 of the 11 domain-specific scales: Parent Relations (P < 0.001), Physical Abilities (P < 0.001), Opposite-Sex Relations (P < 0.01) and Physical Appearance (P < 0.01) self-concepts. These differences were in a positive direction. Global self-concept as measured by the General Self scale was not significantly different from the normative sample. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that adolescents with clefts of the lip and palate have normative if not better self-concept than their peers. The study also suggests that having a cleft of the lip and palate has specific rather than broad associations with psychosocial adjustment. This justifies the use of instruments designed to assess specific areas of self-concept rather than more global measures.

Adolescent↗

Developing concept maps from problem-based learning scenario discussions.

AIMS: This paper reports a study examining the effects of adopting concept mapping in problem-based learning scenario discussions on the improvement of students' learning outcomes in a nursing course. BACKGROUND: Students in Taiwan usually have a high degree of anxiety about whether or not they have learned enough. Problem-based learning is a method of teaching that uses a patient situation or scenario to stimulate students to acquire and apply information to solve problems. Concept mapping can promote problem-solving and critical thinking to help students organize complex patient data, process complex relationships and offer holistic care to patients. METHODS: An experimental design was used, with participants randomly assigned either to a control or experimental group. The experimental group participated in six problem-based learning scenario discussions during the 16-week semester, while the control group attended a traditional course. RESULTS: The experimental group had significantly higher proposition and hierarchy scores for their concept maps compared with the control group. There were no significant differences in the cross-link and example scores between the two groups. In general, the total score difference between the groups did not reach statistical significance levels. Only one student in the experimental group obtained a high score; most participants in both groups (over 50%) obtained low scores. CONCLUSIONS: Concept mapping strategies may be useful for analysis of individual student's thinking processes for (1) emphasizing key concepts or main ideas, (2) understanding relationships between different concepts, including cause-effect and part-whole relationships, (3) reviewing propositions, hierarchies and cross-links in a logically scientific way, and (4) revising concept structures to agree with theory and experience.

Adult↗

Self-concept and perception of early mother and father behavior in normal and antisocial adolescents.

This study examines the self-concept and perceptions of early parental behavior in a group of 277 normal adolescents with respect to differences in age (12-18 years) and gender. A group of 30 antisocial adolescents of similar age (13-19 years) were included as a comparison group. The study was a cross-sectional questionnaire study and the Swedish translation of the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB) introject and mother/father questionnaires were used as measures of self- and parental concepts. Multivariate analyses of variance show that the normal adolescent self-concept and perception of early parental behavior are positive and that there are no age or gender differences. The early behavior of the mother is perceived more positively than that of the father. A positive self-concept is related to a positive perception of the parent's early behavior. The antisocial group of adolescents shows a more autonomous and negative self-concept and more negative perception of early parental behaviors. This was true especially in the group of antisocial girls. The conclusion from the study is that there is no evidence of a chaotic self-concept or tumultuous changes in the perceptions of early parental behavior during normal adolescence, but that an antisocial way of life might be reflected in a more negative and autonomous self-concept and in more negative perceptions of early parental behavior during adolescence.

Adolescent↗

Qualitative concept development: implications for nursing research and knowledge.

TOPIC: Qualitative concept development. The purpose of this article is to analyze existing and emerging qualitative concept development approaches and discuss implications for nursing research and knowledge. SOURCE: Literature. CONCLUSIONS: Concept development is necessary to insure the ongoing emergence of nursing theory and knowledge. Investigators are urged to use empirical data and advanced qualitative research methods to move concept development forward. Although an inductive process is inherent to qualitative investigations, it is apparent that iterative movement between inductive and deductive approaches is needed to carry out concept development studies. Concepts used in nursing are complex and challenging to define. For this reason, concept development is a rigorous and time-intensive process, which requires commensurate financial and time commitments.

Concept Formation↗

The influence of the educational context on student nurses' conceptions of learning and approaches to learning.

BACKGROUND: In previous research a quite similar variety of conceptions and approaches has been identified. However, while context does seem to influence which aspects of the experience and approach are accentuated and which are left in the background, the question is to what extent conceptions and approaches are contextually dependent. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the educational context on student nurses' conceptions of learning and approaches to learning, i.e., to investigate in what sense and to what extent conceptions and approaches are contextually dependent. METHOD: The phenomenographic approach, expanded towards grounded theory, was taken as the point of departure. SAMPLE: Data for the cross-section study were collected through individual interviews with student nurses (N = 60) both at the beginning and at the end of nursing training. RESULTS: As a result of the analysis, qualitative similarities and differences in students' conceptions and approaches were found. In comparing the two groups of student nurses, a trend of development could be identified since students used more developed conceptions and approaches at the end than at the beginning of the educational programme. These differences found between the student groups could largely be explained in terms of the nursing training. CONCLUSIONS: The results thus showed that conceptions and approaches are to some extent contextually dependent.

Concept Formation↗

Prevalence of asthma in a Portuguese countryside town: repercussions on absenteeism and self-concept.

BACKGROUND: Childhood asthma represents an increasing health problem and is the leading cause of hospital admission and absenteeism in children with chronic disease. It also compromises quality of life, eventually contributing to disturbances in self-concept. Self-concept is a recent and global perspective of "the self" and relates to skills, self-image and self-esteem. Little information is available on this topic and there are no data from Portuguese countryside towns. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of asthma among all school children in the 5th and 6th grades in a Portuguese countryside town and to establish its possible correlation with absenteeism and self-concept. METHODS: In April 2002, two questionnaires were administered in the presence of the researcher to a group of 950 children attending different schools. The children completed the internationally renowned questionnaires: ISAAC and the Self-Concept Scale by Susan Harter. RESULTS: Our sample (n = 818) had a mean age of 11 years (10-15 years) and a male-to-female ratio of 1/1. The cumulative prevalence of asthma was 11.9 % and that of active asthma was 8.8 %; 63.9 % of asthmatics were male and 36.1 % were female. The mean age of asthmatics was 11.34 years and 74 % had active symptoms. Comparison of this group of 97 asthmatic children with the remaining children revealed a statistically significant correlation between the presence of asthma and school absenteeism (global: p = 0.04; gymnastics: 0.05). Regarding the Self-Concept Scale a statistically significant association was found between the presence of asthma and school achievement (p = 0.027), physical appearance (p = 0.015), behavior (p < 0.000) and self-esteem (p < 0.000). No statistically significant correlations were found in social acceptance (p = 0.289) or athletic competence (p = 0.085). Asthmatic boys had higher self-concept scores than girls, except in the domain of behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Twelve percent of the population studied was asthmatic. In asthmatic children, absenteeism was higher and self-concept was lower for almost all domains, except social acceptance and athletic achievement, probably due to overprotection.

Absenteeism↗

Global and domain-specific self-concepts of a matched sample of adolescent runaways and nonrunaways.

Assessed the self-concepts of 132 adolescents (66 adolescent runaways and 66 nonrunaways) with the Multidimensional Self Concept Scale (MSCS). Adolescent runaways were found to have significantly lower global self-concepts than the matched group of children who did not run away (hereafter nonrunaways). Runaways were also found to have lower domain-specific self-concepts than nonrunaways in 5 of the 6 important domains assessed by the MSCS (i.e., Social, Affect, Academic, Family, and Physical). Within-group analyses revealed that runaway adolescents had significantly lower Family self-concepts than other specific domains of self-concept, which highlights the influence of families on children's psycho-social adjustment. As expected, nonrunaways did not differ across any of the domain-specific self-concepts.

Adolescent↗

Relationship of perceived physical self-concept and physical activity level and sex among young children.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between level of physical activity and perceived physical self-concept of young children. The sample comprised 364 children from Slovenia, aged 6.4 yr. (SD = 0.3), of which 179 were boys and 185 girls. Parents and teachers reported children's physical activity using the Harro questionnaire. We divided children into Low and High Activity groups based on their mean scores. The children completed Stein's Children's Physical Self-concept Scale, which assesses Global Physical Self-concept and the subdomains of Physical Performance, Physical Appearance, and Weight Control behavior. Two-way analysis of variance with both sex and physical activity levels, and their interaction were used to examine differences in Physical Self-concept. There were significant differences between the Low and High Activity groups on scores for global Physical Self-concept Scale, Physical Performance, and Weight Control, on which children from the High Activity group scored higher; whereas on the subscale Physical Appearance, there were no significant differences. There were no significant sex differences on the Physical Self-concept Scale. The most important conclusion of this research indicates the theoretical assumptions that Physical Activity and perceived Physical Self-concept are related. Direction of the relationship remains unclarified.

Body Constitution↗

Art educators report grades at which they teach 11 drawing concepts.

The purpose of this study was to solicit information about the applicability of 11 basic perceptual concepts for instruction in drawing to students in Kindergarten through Grade 12. The study is based on responses to a national survey of 750 art educators, 250 in elementary, 250 in middle, and 250 in high school teaching assignments. Among these, 87% were female, 8% were 20 to 29 years old, 15% were 30 to 39 years, 48% were 40 to 49 years, 27% were 50 to 59 years, and 2% were 60 years or older. As few as 35.5% to as many as 48.7% (per concept) of the art educators reported that they teach each of the 11 concepts in elementary grades. Also, from 33.3% to 38.4% (per concept) of these teachers indicated that they stop teaching the 11 target concepts to students in high school. Empirical evidence from psychologists suggested that children gain comprehension of the concepts at differing points in their development. Were art educators employing the information identified by psychological research, their reports might have presented clear distinctions between grades at which each of the 11 concepts are taught. The results are interpreted in light of five possible explanations.

Adult↗