The aim of this research was to compare the quality of life among University of the Third Age (U3A) students in Poland, where a novel method of educating seniors is being developed, with the quality of life among students at newly established U3As in Belarus and Ukraine, which have copied the Polish model. The research was also conducted to connect a range of socio-demographic variables with two explanatory ones: satisfaction with participation in U3A activities and the overall quality of life. A total of 515 U3A (N13) students from three Eastern European countries—Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus—took part in the research. The overall quality of life of U3A students was researched and expressed in the form of three components: stress level, sense of self-efficacy, and level of satisfaction with life. The following tools were used: PPS10 (Perceived Stress Scale), GSES (General Self-Efficacy Scale), and SWLS (Satisfaction with Life Scale). The research showed a statistically significant difference between the country of residence and the level of satisfaction with life, sense of self-efficacy, and the overall indicator of the quality of life. Polish seniors obtained higher results in all these areas when compared to their counterparts in Ukraine and Belarus.
In the educational context, virtual reality (VR) can be defined as a set of diverse hardware and software technologies that can be used to provide the experience of immersion in the learning process. This study aimed to investigate the connection between VR and emotions that can motivate students to be more active in the didactic process. A group of 99 participants was involved and watched three short individual VR sessions using Oculus glasses. We monitored participants’ moods (using the SUPIN/PANAS questionnaire) and we also gauged their self-esteem (SES questionnaire). Participation in VR sessions increases the intensity in learners’ emotions. The increase or decrease in emotions depends on whether they are positive or negative. First and foremost, we observed changes in the intensity of positive emotions which, after VR intervention, increased significantly in relation to the initial measurement, compared with the intensity of negative emotions during the post-test. The results show that VR significantly modifies learners’ emotions, contributing to the reinforcement of positive emotional states, and in the case of those with low self-esteem, it also decreases negative emotional states. In conclusion, VR can be used as a didactic tool to facilitate the teaching-learning process at various levels. It makes it possible not only to practice skills in simulated, safer conditions and illustrate presented material, but also to make the didactic process more attractive, thereby influencing learners’ emotions positively.
Thesis. The article presents the construction process and psychometric properties of the Critical Thinking Questionnaire (CThQ). The questionnaire is a critical thinking test tool designed for adolescents and adults. The basis for creating the questionnaire was classifying the educational goals proposed by Benjamin Bloom and spread by critical thinking practitioners. Methods. The independent rater system was used in the construction of the test, while the psychometric properties of the test were tested on a sample of 198 people, calculating the inter-correlation and the Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient. Result. Both assessments of the independent rater system and research checking the psychometric properties of the test indicate high reliability of the tool. Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of internal consistency was 0.87. In its final version, the test consists of 25 items, the results of which allow assessing critical thinking in 6 scales: remembering, understanding, applying, analysing, evaluating, and creating. The tool also allows checking the overall score.
Spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) is a very rare condition associated with trauma or occurring as a complication of lumbar puncture and can appear spontaneously. It manifests with acute pain and neurological deficits, leading to severe and permanent complications. This study aimed to assess changes in health-related quality of life and functional status following long-term intensive neurorehabilitation in a patient after severe sport-related head injury with a related SEH. The 60-year-old male patient experienced bilateral weakness of lower limbs, loss of sensation, and sphincter dysfunction. A laminectomy was performed, followed by a slight superficial and deep sensation improvement. The patient underwent intensive neurological rehabilitation treatment. The proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) method, PRAGMA device exercises, and water rehabilitation were provided. The study outcomes were assessed using the validated questionaries World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF) and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL-14) for health-related quality of life as well as the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) for functional status. A beneficial clinical improvement was observed following the intensive rehabilitation using PNF techniques, training with a PRAGMA device, and water exercises in the case of SEH. The patient’s physical condition significantly improved, with an increase in the FIM score from 66 to 122 pts. (by 56 pts.) and in the HAQ score from 43 to 16 pts. (by 27 pts.). Additionally, the QOL level increased after rehabilitation, with an increase in the WHOQOL-BREF from 37 to 74 pts. (by 37 pts.) and a decrease in unhealthy or limited days, as assessed using the HRQOL-14, from 210 to 168 (by 42 days). In conclusion, the improvement in QOL and functional level in the SEH patient were associated with high-intensity rehabilitation, simultaneous integration of three therapeutic modalities, and committed patient cooperation.
Introduction: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect muscle movement, tone and coordination. The reduction of spastic muscular paralysis can be obtained by intramuscular injection of botulinum neurotoxin type A (BTX-A).Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the antispastic effect of BTX-A in children with spastic CP and to estimate the parents' opinion about the effectiveness of BTX-A therapy. Material and methods: A group of 40 children was divided into the study (n = 24, BTX-A + rehabilitation) and the control group (n = 16, rehabilitation). The modified Ashworth scale (MAS) was used to assess the level of muscle tone. A survey method was used to determine the subjective opinion of the children's parents regarding the effectiveness of BTX-A. Results: The BTX-A injections significantly reduced the level of muscle spasticity in children with CP (5.5 points in the study vs. 2.8 points in control; p = 0.008). The analysis from the univariate linear regression model showed children from the study group (B = 1.38, p = 0.005) and older children (B = -0.30, p = = 0.046) influence the difference in obtained MAS scores. The best effect was obtained by combining the BTX-A injection with rehabilitation. Parents positively opinionated the use of BTX-A injections to improve functioning, decrease hypertonia, and facilitate carrying. 83% of parents noticed an improvement in their child's functioning after the first injection of BTX-A and 92% would recommend BTX-A injections for CP. Conclusions: BTX-A injections lead to a reduction in spasticity in children with CP. The effects of therapy are particularly noticeable at the beginning of the treatment, and the most effective in the youngest patients. BTX-A injections combined with intensive rehabilitation contribute to an improved functional level for children with spastic CP.
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