JHRS Indexed in OpenCitations

Dear colleagues,

There is new citation of JHRS in OpenCitations.

OpenCitations is an independent not-for-profit infrastructure organization for open scholarship dedicated to the publication of open bibliographic and citation data by the use of Semantic Web (Linked Data) technologies. It is also engaged in advocacy for open citations, particularly in its role as a key founding member of the Initiative for Open Citations (I4OC). For administrative convenience, OpenCitations is managed by the Research Centre for Open Scholarly Metadata at the University of Bologna.

OpenCitations espouses fully the founding principles of Open Science. It complies with the FAIR data principles by Force11 that data should be findable, accessible, interoperable and re-usable, and it complies with the recommendations of I4OC that citation data in particular should be structured, separable, and open. On the latter topic, OpenCitations has recently published a formal definition of an Open Citation, and has launched a system for globally unique and persistent identifiers (PIDs) for bibliographic citations – Open Citation Identifiers (OCIs).

OpenCitations' involvement in international networks and collaborations, together with the need of identifying and reaching out to new stakeholders to assure OpenCitations' development and sustainability, has made it necessary to define OpenCitations' mission, unique strengths and next developmental steps, summarized in the following publicly available documents: OpenCitations Mission Statement, The Uniqueness of OpenCitations and OpenCitations – Present Status and Future Plans.

Cheers,

JHRS Editor-in-chief

Five new indexing in JHRS

Dear colleagues,

I want to inform you that Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences is already indexed in five new databases. They are:

COBISS.MK

DeepDyve

Internet Archive

Scilit

Sudoc

So in this moment JHRS is indexed in 31 databases.

Cheers,

JHRS Editor-in-chief

The Status of Inclusive Healthcare Services in Nigeria

Paul Ajuwon School of Special Education, Leadership and Professional Studies Missouri State University, Springfield, Mo 65897, United States https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9304-0068

Adaka T Ahon Department of Special Needs Education, Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
Rebecca Y Stallings School of Special Education, Leadership and Professional Studies Missouri State University, Springfield, Mo 65897, United States https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6206-4243

https://doi.org/10.33700/jhrs.2.2.89

Abstract

Introduction: Throughout the world, the number of persons with disabilities (PWDs) is growing exponentially as a result of factors such as population increase, ageing, and medical advances that prolong life. This has increased the demand for quality health services, especially in developing countries.
Aim: The aim of this research is to assess the attitudes towards PWDs of “direct” and “indirect” healthcare service providers at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, Nigeria.
Methods: The researchers analyzed the open-ended comments from 81 healthcare providers from the hospital, regarding their knowledge and attitudes towards patients with disabilities.
Results: The authors classified the unsolicited comments into three main categories, thus: “institutional-level actions advocated”, “society-level changes advocated”, and “individual-level perception or attitude.”
Conclusion: This project has implications for reform and development of medical services in Nigeria. It identifies specific areas of need to improve the quality of healthcare service pertaining to PWDs and their families, especially in relation to the removal of architectural barriers, the development of positive attitudes, the formulation and implementation of effective legislation, and improved pre- and in-service training of healthcare workers in line with signed domestic and international protocols.

Keywords: Inclusive healthcare services, persons with disabilities, “direct” and “indirect” healthcare workers, attitudes, legislation, discrimination, Nigeria

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Mental Health in Social Context: What Is Normal and Who Defines It?

Anja Knez SFU Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9008-2314

https://doi.org/10.33700/jhrs.2.2.84

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to encourage a critical attitude and shed light on the background and perception (and not the definition) of “normal” through the prism of society, which to a large extent conditions human functioning and well-being. Understanding the variability of normality and mental health as a socially defined and ever-changing concept leads to normalisation and de -stigmatisation of not only mental disorders in the narrower sense, but also of mental distress of modern man, and is a prerequisite for reducing false diagnoses. Human vulnerability and inner struggles, which are the norm, not a peculiar, isolated problem, need to be seen as such while taking into account all the factors, i.e., biological, psychological, and social, affecting the person. A better understanding and use of the biopsychosocial model could help improve healthcare and make this world a little kinder.

Keywords: objectivity, normality, freedom, biomedical model, biopsychosocial model

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JHRS has been indexed in CABI

I am pleased to be able to confirm the title was deemed to be relevant to the CAB Abstracts and/or Global Health database. Those articles that are within scope of the database will be selected for inclusion.  Coverage will start from Volume 2, Issue 1. 2023.  We can access all the information we require for indexing purposes from the journal website so we don’t require any further information from you.

CAB International is a not-for-profit, international treaty organisation, dedicated to the dissemination of scientific knowledge. We produce two abstract databases in the applied life sciences: CAB Abstracts (agriculture, crop science, natural resources, animal and human sciences) and Global Health (dedicated to public health, food science and nutrition). Our organisation has a long established reputation in the applied life sciences, having begun indexing scientific literature in 1913. This extensive archive is currently being made available in electronic form.

Evaluation of a Pyramidal Parent Training Model in Albania

Blake Hansen Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3769-8572

Kristi Hoover Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA

Arianna Kokol Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA

https://doi.org/10.33700/jhrs.2.2.79

Abstract

Introduction: Parenting a child with a disability presents a challenge for parents worldwide. In countries that have limited resources, the challenges of raising a child with autism can be overwhelming. Parent training is one method of providing services to parents and models that account for the realities in developing countries are needed.

Method: 20 parents were trained on three intervention strategies. The study used a quasi-experimental design with three pretest conditions and three posttest conditions. The parents were randomly assigned to a training tier where they were trained by either a professional or another parent.

Results: Significant changes on the pre-post measures were found. Parents indicated that this training strategy was aligned with their cultural values and that they believed the goals and outcomes of the training were effective.

Conclusion: Pyramidal training represents a training method to help disseminate behavioral interventions to parents in countries with limited resources.

• Keywords: parent training, autism, Albania
• Full Text Article

Micronutrient Supplementation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Open-Label Trial

Bushra Hossain University of California, San Francisco, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5492-6499

Jazzy Benes University of California, San Francisco, USA

Stephen Bent University of California, San Francisco, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4767-9714

Felicia Widjaja University of California, San Francisco, USA

China Parenteau University of California, San Francisco, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6812-9263

Robert Hendren University of California, San Francisco, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8470-4862

https://doi.org/10.33700/jhrs.2.2.87

ABSTRACT

Aim: To investigate the change in core and associated behaviours of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) following micronutrient supplementation.

Methods: Adolescents and adults with ASD (N=16, aged 11-22) participated in an 8-week open label study of micronutrients supplements. Measures of behaviour and social responsiveness, using Autism Behaviour Inventory – Short (ABI-S) and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) respectively, were completed by parents and teachers at baseline and end of the study. Paired t-tests were used to compare the pre- and post-treatment mean scores.

Results: Eleven participants completed the study. Mean scores on both clinical outcomes showed improvements (decreases) over the study period, but none were statistically significant. Parent-reported ABI-S scores decreased (improved) by 11.5% (effect size=-0.52, p=0.08), teacher-reported ABI-S scores improved by 3.7% (effect size=-0.16, p=0.31), and parent-reported SRS scores improved by 8.6% (effect size=-0.56, p=0.05). There were no adverse events reported.

Conclusion: This study adds to the mixed findings of micronutrient supplementation in individuals with ASD, consistent with previous studies. Micronutrients were safely tolerated. In the future, randomized controlled trials with a larger sample size are needed to provide more insight on the potential benefits of micronutrients in ASD.

Keywords: Micronutrients, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), nutrition, supplements, clinical trial

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A new measure of socio-emotional skills: a pilot study with children, adolescents, and their families

Louise Marques Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3844-6932

Luisa Cito Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0504-0346

Karina Ayumi Teruya University City of São Paulo https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5546-8802

Éverson Rangel Lopez Estacio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9732-7598

Renato De Marca Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0870-8815

Adriana Lima Federal University of Parana

Bruno Oliveira Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro

Jesus Landeira-Fernandez Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8395-8008

Luis Anunciação Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5303-5782

https://doi.org/10.33700/jhrs.2.2.88

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The teaching of socio-emotional skills has received greater attention, with ongoing theoretical discussions about these competences. Evaluating such characteristics and their development, however, is challenging because of a lack of consensus about theoretical and practical models, the difficulty in analyses that rely solely on self-reports, and the scarcity of robust Brazilian psychometric instruments.

Objectives: Therefore, the present study sought to (1) verify the psychometric evidence of the instrument’s internal consistency in assessing socio-emotional skills, (2) identify differences in respondents’ answers, and (3) identify potential issues with questionnaire items via semi-structured interviews.

Methods: This pilot study involved 32 responses from children and adolescents and 25 responses from their family members. The questionnaire assessed five socio-emotional skills: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships, and responsible decision making. Descriptive analyses and Cronbach’s alpha calculations were applied to confirm internal consistency of the items in each subscale. Analyses of variance were also conducted to analyse responses from family members and children.

Results: The results showed that self- awareness (α = 0.83, α = 0.76), self-management (α = 0.82, α = 0.79), and relationship skills (α = 0.71, α = 0.79) had adequate internal consistency in both children’s and family members’ versions. Significant differences were observed in scores between family members and children/adolescents in self-awareness (p = 0.0159), self-management (p = 0.0279).

Conclusion: The present study underscores the importance and complexity of assessing responsible decision-making skills and suggests that the questionnaire can be useful for evaluating socio-emotional competencies.

Keywords: socio-emotional skills, psychometry, psychological assessment, children

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