St. Petersburg College

About: St. Petersburg College is a education organization based out in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor & Higher education. The organization has 129 authors who have published 148 publications receiving 2506 citations. The organization is also known as: SPC & Saint Petersburg College.

Impact of coping skills intervention with family caregivers of hospice patients with cancer: a randomized clinical trial.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Family caregivers for cancer patients experience high levels of stress and burden and diminished quality of life (QOL). Interventions to improve coping skills of caregivers have been shown to be effective with other populations, but their impact has not been assessed in the difficult context of hospice care. The purpose of this study was to determine whether hospice plus a coping skill training intervention improved family caregivers' QOL, burden, coping, and mastery, compared with hospice plus emotional support, and usual hospice care. METHODS A three group randomized controlled trial was conducted including baseline, 16 day, and 30 day assessments conducted from March 1999 to May 2003. The sample consisted of 354 family caregivers of community dwelling hospice patients with advanced cancer. Patient/caregiver dyads were randomly divided into three groups, including a control group (n = 109) who received standard hospice care, a group (n = 109) who received standard hospice care plus three supportive visits, and a group (n = 111) who received standard care plus three visits to teach a coping skills intervention. Primary outcomes included caregiver QOL, caregiver burden due to patient symptoms, caregiver burden due to tasks, and caregiver mastery. RESULTS At the 30-day follow-up, the coping skills intervention led to significantly greater improvement in caregiver QOL (estimate = −0.16, standard error [SE] = 0.07, P = 0.03), burden of patient symptoms (estimate = 0.28, SE = 0.07, P < 0.001), and caregiving task burden (estimate = −0.01, SE = 0.01, P = 0.038) than did the other two conditions. None of the groups showed significant change in overall caregiving mastery, caregiver mastery specific to caregiving tasks, problem-focused or emotion-focused coping. CONCLUSIONS The coping skills intervention was effective in improving caregiver QOL, reducing burden related to patients' symptoms, and caregiving tasks compared with hospice care alone or hospice plus emotional support. Structured caregiver skill-training interventions for caregivers are promising even in the difficult environment of end-of-life care and for families already receiving benefits of hospice care. Cancer 2006. © 2005 American Cancer Society.

Applying Constant Comparative Method with Multiple Investigators and Inter-Coder Reliability

Abstract: When qualitative research methods are used, data analysis may be completed by an individual or a group of two or more people. Researchers accustomed to completing independent data analysis may be surprised by the large amount of additional time and effort that working with a research group requires. Collaboration adds complexity to the work of data analysis and formulating findings, making a collaborative qualitative study more labor intensive (Miles & Huberman, 1994). Additional coordination and iteration are required for the qualitative coding process for creating themes, analyzing for meaning, and drawing conclusions. When members of a research team are geographically separated and working in a virtual environment, data analysis may be more challenging. However, the collaboration provides several benefits that derive from the additional perspectives provided by multiple researchers. In striving for consensus in the findings, the nuances in meaning brought by multiple researchers adds richness to the analysis by prompting deeper analysis. Inter-coder reliability (ICR) can be used to drive towards consensus but was found to be more suited for identifying nuance and significant meanings in the qualitative data. This paper explores the experiences of two geographically separated researchers who applied Constant Comparative Method (CCM), based on grounded theory. The researchers applied action research to formulate a deliberate 10-step method for coding data, creating meaning, and structuring an exploratory model that represents findings. Collaboration was facilitated through synchronous online video discussions and email exchanges to work through analysis activities between the two researchers. Literature Review Literature on qualitative research, and specifically on the CCM methodology used by the researchers performing this study, reveals a diversity of positions that reflect the richness of qualitative research (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). There are supporters and opponents to qualitative research in general and CCM in particular. This review begins with a basic explanation of the approach that differentiates qualitative research from quantitative; then explores the methods used in qualitative research to address issues common to quantitative researchers involving validity and reliability. Finally, the review will focus on the literature concerning advantages, disadvantages, and potential roles of ICR measures in CCM. Inductive Approach The original purpose of qualitative methods was to design a structured approach for generating new theory that purports to explain an experience or phenomenon for which current understanding is inadequate. Qualitative research uses inductive reasoning (i.e., developing explanations from information) rather than the deductive (i.e., using theory to predict outcomes based on information) to draw conclusions from data. It explores a deliberately selected set of data, such as interviews, observations, or video/audio logs, to identify patterns that can be linked causally in a model or theory (Thomas, 2003). Models generated by qualitative theory can be tested using quantitative methods to provide further support for the theory. Quantitative research uses existing theory to generate a question or hypothesis that can be tested empirically (Curry, Nembhard, & Bradley, 2009). Grounded Theory Grounded theory is a qualitative research method developed to facilitate discovering patterns in data (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). It uses a systematic approach to review participant views collected from an experience in order to allow patterns and themes to emerge over multiple passes through the data. Strauss (1987) further elaborated on the data analysis methodology, creating CCM, in which the researcher developed codes while reviewing transcripts or other verbatim data to identify constructs, and iteratively compared texts identified with the same code to ensure they were representative of the same construct. …

Teaching Reading Fluency to Struggling Readers: Method, Materials, and Evidence

Abstract: Reading fluency has been identified as a key component in reading and in learning to read. Moreover, a significantly large number of students who experience difficulty in reading manifest difficulties in reading fluency that appear to contribute to their overall struggles in reading. In this article we explore the nature of effective instruction in fluency. We examine proven methods for teaching fluency as well as instructional routines that combine various methods into synergistic lessons. We also take issue with more mechanical approaches to fluency instruction that emphasize reading rate as the major goal of such instruction. Instead, we attempt to make the case for more authentic approaches to fluency instruction, approaches that employ texts meant to be practiced and performed.

What should every citizen know about ecology

Abstract: The level of ecological literacy among the general population in the US and other countries is not known, although there is widespread concern that it is too low to enable effective social responses to current problems. Here, we describe a framework for conceptualizing ecological literacy. This framework combines ideas and approaches from the social sciences with content deemed critical by ecology professionals. We conclude with key contentions and questions that should initiate a dialogue aimed at improving ecological literacy among the public. As ecological literacy was the theme of the 93rd Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America in 2008, we believe it is time for this discussion to be expanded, increased in priority, and brought to fruition.