Search results

The main objective of this study is to assess the applicability and robustness of the information motivation behavioural skills (IMB) model in determining dietary supplement usage of pregnant and breastfeeding women. More specifically, we examine the indirect effects of online social capital and internet use for health information on dietary supplement usage through self-efficacy and the moderating role of educational attainment.

Data was collected from 415 pregnant and breastfeeding Italian women using a self-administered questionnaire. Hypotheses were tested using Hayes's (2013) PROCESS macro for SPSS.

Internet use for health information is directly associated with dietary supplement usage. Online social capital and internet use for health information positively influence dietary supplement usage through self-efficacy. However, the results from moderated mediation analyses show that the mediation effects are moderated by educational attainment so that indirect relationships were stronger among women with a lower level of education than among those with a higher level of education.

Dietary supplement marketers and public health agencies can develop and implement dietary supplement promotional materials and interventions by disseminating information through the internet and social media and by strengthening social ties on online networking sites.

The originality of this study lies in the use of the IMB model as a theoretical framework to examine the mediating role of self-efficacy and the moderating role of education in explaining the mechanism of how online social capital and internet use for health information influence dietary supplement usage.

This study examined the effect of incorporating an inductive method based on system thinking to enhance grammar learning in the English language at a secondary school in Saudi Arabia.

The researcher developed pre- and post-grammar tests for this study. Two EFL teachers participated; one taught the experimental group using inductive methods based on system thinking, while the other taught the control group using the traditional deductive approach to grammar instruction. Around 52 students participated in both the experimental group (26) and the control group (26). At the beginning of the term, all students completed pre-tests, and after eight weeks they completed the post-tests.

The results demonstrated significant differences between the experimental and control groups. The findings revealed that using inductive methods based on system thinking was highly effective in improving students’ grammar performance.

This study could benefit EFL teachers, encouraging them to use inductive materials based on system thinking to create a more meaningful, interactive and engaging learning environment.

This study fills a gap in the EFL literature since it examines the impact of an inductive approach based on system thinking in grammar learning. System thinking activities encourage deep reflection, helping learners deduce grammatical rules. This study could benefit EFL teachers, encouraging them to use inductive materials based on system thinking to create a more meaningful, interactive and engaging learning environment.

Calls for the development and dissemination of evidence-based programs to support children and families have been increasing for decades, but progress has been slow. This paper aims to argue that a singular focus on evaluation has limited the ways in which science and research is incorporated into program development, and advocate instead for the use of a new concept, “scientific accompaniment,” to expand and guide program development and testing.

A heuristic is provided to guide research–practice teams in assessing the program’s developmental stage and level of evidence.

In an idealized pathway, scientific accompaniment begins early in program development, with ongoing input from both practitioners and researchers, resulting in programs that are both effective and scalable. The heuristic also provides guidance for how to “catch up” on evidence when program development and science utilization are out of sync.

While implementation models provide ideas on improving the use of evidence-based practices, social service programs suffer from a significant lack of research and evaluation. Evaluation resources are typically not used by social service program developers and collaboration with researchers happens late in program development, if at all. There are few resources or models that encourage and guide the use of science and evaluation across program development.