Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis at a young age has the potential to affect survivors' worldview and raise existential concerns. This qualitative study of 13 women diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 40 examined how they made meaning of the impact of their cancer experience. Implementing the consensual qualitative research methodology, the authors found themes related to challenges; coping strategies; reappraisal of self, relationships with others, and life roles; and changes in views and behaviors. These findings suggest the utility of existential counseling for young breast cancer survivors' adjustment posttreatment as they attempt to cultivate a sense of control.

Although basing instruction on a learning trajectory (LT) is often recommended, there is little evidence regarding a premise of a LT approach-that to be maximally meaningful, engaging, and effective, instruction is best presented 1 LT level beyond a child's present level of thinking. We evaluated this hypothesis using an empirically validated LT for early arithmetic with 291 kindergartners from four schools in a Mountain West state. Students randomly assigned to the LT condition received one-on-one instruction 1 level above their present level of thinking. Students in the counterfactual condition received 1-on-1 target-level instruction that involved solving story problems three levels above their initial level of thinking (a skip or teach-to-target approach). At posttest, children in the LT condition exhibited significantly greater learning, including target knowledge, than children in the teach-to-target condition, particularly those with low entry knowledge of arithmetic. Child gender and dosage were not significant moderators of the effects. Educational Impact and Implications StatementThe results of this study underscore the benefits of teaching early arithmetic following learning trajectories, that is, providing instruction that is just beyond a child's present level of thinking. Children who experience this approach learned significantly more than pre-target and target-level knowledge those who were taught the only target skills for the same time period. Therefore, instruction following learning trajectories may promote more learning, including learning target competencies, than an equivalent amount of instruction on these target competencies with developmentally unready children.

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Cancer centers have adopted a holistic approach to cancer treatment to better meet the psychosocial needs of cancer survivors. However, the current number of psychosocial providers in oncology is inadequate to meet the growing demand and psychosocial providers may face barriers in accessing oncology-specific training. The current study aims to explore the career development of psychologists working in oncology to inform training and workplace supports, as well as to inform training for health psychologists interested in other sub-specialties. Interviews were conducted with 20 psychologists with oncology work experience. Data were analyzed using the consensual qualitative research method. Results indicated three primary domains: (a) factors influencing entry into the field, (b) factors influencing ongoing career decision-making, and (c) factors influencing success in psychosocial oncology. The complexities of these domains are discussed; suggestions for supporting psychologists interested in psychosocial oncology at individual as well as systemic levels are provided.

Objectives Preliminary research on self-compassion as a target for reducing forms of bias is promising, yet healthcare provider self-compassion has not yet been explored in relationship to weight bias. Healthcare providers commonly endorse weight stigma and bias, contributing to health disparities for patients with “obesity.” The current study explores the feasibility of the self-compassion loving kindness meditation (LKM) as a brief intervention that reduces weight bias in nursing students. Method Participants (189 nursing students) were randomly assigned to the LKM condition or body scan control condition before engaging in an implicit bias task and answering self-report measures of internalization of the thin ideal, weight bias, positive attitudes towards people with “obesity,” positive emotions, self-compassion, cognitive flexibility, and compassionate care. Results Statistically significant differences in self-compassion, cognitive flexibility, weight bias, and compassionate care failed to be found between the groups. Participants in the LKM condition endorsed significantly higher levels of positive emotionality compared to the control condition. Higher levels of self-compassion were related to lower levels of weight bias for participants in both conditions. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that internalization of the thin ideal and self-compassion accounted for 19.2% of the variance in positive attitudes towards people with “obesity.” Conclusions This study suggests the importance of examining self- and other-compassion in the context of weight stigma. Its findings exemplify the complexity of weight stigma and the need to further explore the mechanisms to be targeted to effectively reduce healthcare professionals’ bias. Pre-registration This study is not preregistered.