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This paper presents findings from an investigation of nature-based practices, from the perspectives of 10 academics/educators from six nations. Participants engaged in a focus group exploring the prevalence and inclusion of nature in social work practice and education. While the study focused on individual members' experiences and perspectives, the findings highlight important context-specific factors for including nature within social work to reconnect humans with nature for health, well-being, healing, and justice. An Integrative Environmental Model for social work is proposed to assist future practice and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moral thinking and communication are critical competencies for confronting social dilemmas in a challenging world. We examined these moral competencies in 70 college students and graduates from Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Participants were assessed through semi-structured written interviews, Facebook group discussions, and a questionnaire. In this paper, we describe the similarities and differences across cultural groupings in (1) the social issues of greatest importance to the participants; (2) the factors influencing their approaches to thinking about social issues and communicating with others; and (3) the characteristics of their moral functioning in terms of moral awareness, moral judgment, moral discourse, and moral decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Many countries are enacting tobacco treatment training, guidelines and policies in order to fulfil Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) treaty agreements. This study tapped the perspectives of international treatment providers to identify challenges and recommendations for improvement. Methods: The cross-sectional survey included closed- and open-ended items. Distribution included professional listservs (ATTUD; Global Bridges; ENSH Global) and word-of-mouth. The survey collected data using an open-source platform (Enketo Smart Paper/Ona). We used R for quantitative analysis and Google Sheets to categorize open-ended responses. Results: There were 155 respondents from 49 countries. Most (78.6%) provided direct services. Almost half (48.1%) reported receiving less than 6 hours of tobacco treatment training; respondents from low and lower-middle income countries (LMICs) received significantly less training (Fisher's p < 0.014). Likewise, among all respondents, 43% rated poor access to treatment; this rose to 100% among LMICs (Fisher's p < 0.001). To improve treatment and training, respondents suggested increasing government funding for pharmacotherapy and behavioural services; providing training in local languages and in the treatment of smokeless tobacco forms; trainee certification and access to online support for providers. Conclusions: Globally, half of front-line treatment providers reported having poor access to training; this was true for all providers in LMICs and most in upper middle-income countries. Existing online trainings, available mainly in English, could be migrated to open-access formats to permit countries to tailor them to their local needs and languages. Countries in geographical proximity or historical linguistic/political alliances could forge cross-country mentoring relationships and mutual support for training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This corpus-based study examines the widely-used discourse marker well in Chinese-speaking learners' speech and compares its frequencies in native speaker data and Swedish learners. While Swedish learners overuse well, Chinese-speaking learners (predominantly at the upper-intermediate level) significantly underuse it. The positions and functions of well are further examined using a functional framework. One-fourth of the Chinese-speaking learners who use well manipulate its positions in utterances in a similar way to native speakers. In terms of functions, well is employed for speech management much more frequently than for attitudinal purposes. The greater use of the former does not generally create negative effects, but the under-representation of the latter may suggest that Chinese-speaking learners sound too direct in certain contexts. The paper concludes by considering pedagogical implications for different first languages and proficiency levels and their possible applications to the instruction of well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a self-paced reading experiment comparing the processing of subject-extracted relative clauses (SRCs) and object-extracted relative clauses (ORCs) in supportive contexts in Chinese. It is argued that lack of a consistent pattern in the literature for the comparison between Chinese SRCs and ORCs is due to potential temporary ambiguity in these constructions in null contexts. By placing the materials in contexts biased towards a relative clause (RC) interpretation, we limit the effects of temporary ambiguity. The results of the experiment demonstrate that SRCs are read more slowly than ORCs in supportive contexts. These results provide evidence for working memory-based sentence processing theories whereby processing difficulty increases for connecting sentence elements that are further apart. Some convergent evidence that strengthens these conclusions comes from recent research on aphasic populations where a dissociation between English and Chinese RC processing has been revealed: whereas English aphasic patients have more difficulty with ORCs and Chinese aphasic patients have more difficulty with SRCs (Su, Lee, & Chung, 2007). Taken together, these results support the idea that sentence processing is constrained by working memory limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategy training is a promising stroke rehabilitation intervention commonly delivered in Western countries. We examined the perspectives of rehabilitation therapists who have delivered strategy training in Taiwan and the United States to understand the influence of culture on strategy training implementation. In this rapid ethnographic study, the maximum variation sampling approach was used to recruit seven therapists in Taiwan and seven therapists in the United States with experience delivering strategy training. Data was collected from multiple sources, including interviews, study documents, therapist notes, and reflective memos. Interviews with the recruited therapists in Taiwan and the United States were conducted in Mandarin and English, respectively. Data were analyzed using a constant comparative approach. The following two themes were generated: (1) differences between conventional rehabilitation and strategy training, namely that conventional rehabilitation is therapist-directed and emphasizes impairment reduction, whereas strategy training empowers clients and focuses on real-life generalization, and (2) challenges in implementing strategy training in practice, including difficulty in achieving client buy-in and disengagement. Therapists from both countries shared similar perspectives on the perceived advantages of strategy training, such as enhancing client empowerment and engagement, and the generalization of strategies. Family involvement was more prominently discussed by therapists in Taiwan than by those in the United States. Strategy training differs from conventional rehabilitation in its emphasis on clients' life participation and empowerment, generalization of strategies, and enhancement of their engagement, confidence, and problem-solving skills. Therapists may face challenges related to client buy-in and disengagement as well as difficulties in establishing a therapeutic rapport at the beginning of strategy training because clients have different expectations from those of conventional rehabilitation. Cultural differences in norms and expectations and the clinical experiences of therapists may influence the delivery of strategy training to clients. Family support may influence the success of strategy training. Thoughtful conversations to reach a mutual understanding regarding the expectations of strategy training among clients, family, and rehabilitation practitioners are necessary prior to implementing strategy training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing culturally appropriate diabetes nutrition interventions for immigrants could be facilitated knowing what is successful in the home country and other relevant countries. The primary purpose of this scoping review was to identify the design and delivery methods of nutrition interventions for Chinese populations with type 2 diabetes, in their home countries and as immigrants to western countries. A total of 14 articles was retrieved and included. Overall, the approaches used in China often were modelled on intensive lifestyle programs although alternative strategies were also identified. Most interventions were not focussed solely on nutrition, and only a few were conducted in community settings. Most of the interventions were delivered in a group format, while those conducted in China also included individual counselling, particularly for nutrition. In addition, the diabetes and nutrition-related outcomes, cultural relevance and acceptability, and other factors that influenced protocol compliance were considered. Improvements in blood glucose control were observed in participants in all interventions where it was measured. Participants reported increased nutritional knowledge but nutritional behaviour was generally not well documented. Trials conducted in the United States emphasized the importance of cultural adaptation of intervention programs, particularly with respect to dietary patterns and specific foods. Practice-transferable characteristics are highlighted. Research gaps included trials conducted in community settings with pragmatic implementation and evaluation, comparative trials of interventions to gauge relative effectiveness, and measuring and reporting dietary outcomes for better understanding of the impact on dietary behaviours and their relationship to health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low physical activity is a major health issue among Chinese Americans. This study explored Chinese-American children's physical activity behaviors and influencing factors. Twenty-five children of Chinese or Taiwanese descent were interviewed to understand their favorite sports or physical activities, physical activity environments, and influences on their physical activity. All were between the ages of 9 and 13. Interviews were transcribed and coded using thematic data analysis procedures. Major themes included: (1) team sports, particularly basketball, were commonly listed as favorite sports or activities; (2) physical activity occurred mostly at school or an after-school setting; and (3) family played a major role in physical activity. Some trends/differences were detected based on age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Interventions to promote physical activity among Chinese-American children should emphasize team sports and encourage physical activity in schools, but also explore ways to involves families outside of school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined the psychometric characteristics of the Chinese translation of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory–Revised (MSI-R) in a community sample of 117 couples from Taiwan. The Chinese MSI-R demonstrated moderate to strong internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed similar scale factor structures in the Taiwanese and U.S. standardization samples. Mean profile comparisons between the current Taiwanese sample and the original MSI-R standardization sample revealed statistically significant but small differences on several subscales. Overall, the psychometric characteristics of the Chinese MSI-R lend support to its use with couples from diverse cultural backgrounds whose sole or preferred language is Chinese. It may also be appropriate to use the MSI-R in clinical settings for prevention or intervention efforts directed at Chinese-speaking couples. The implications of these findings for clinical and research purposes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore how seventh graders in a suburban school in the United States and sixth graders in an urban school in Taiwan developed argumentation skills and science knowledge in a project-based learning environment that incorporated a graph-oriented, computer-assisted application (GOCAA). A total of 42 students comprised the treatment condition and were engaged in a project-based learning environment that incorporated a GOCAA. Of these 42 students, 21 were located in the United States and 21 were located in Taiwan. A total of 26 students comprised the control condition and were engaged in a project-based learning environment without the GOCAA. Of these 26 students, 15 were in the United States and 11 were in Taiwan. In each country, verbal collaborative argumentation was recorded and the students' post-essays were collected. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted for each measure of science knowledge about alternative energies. The results showed a significant treatment effect for the outcome of scientific explanation among U.S. students, while among Taiwanese students, a significant treatment effect on scientific facts was observed. A one-way ANOVA was additionally conducted for each measure of argumentation skills and a significant treatment effect on counterarguments and rebuttals was observed among the U.S. students, while in Taiwan, a significant treatment effect on reasoning and rebuttals was observed. A qualitative analysis was conducted to examine how the GOCAA supported students' development of argumentation skills in different countries. This study found distinct argumentation patterns between the U.S. and Taiwanese intervention teams. Additionally, a distinct gender difference in the use of evidence and division of labour was noted when the Taiwanese teams were compared with the U.S. teams, which may be explained by cultural differences. This study concluded that, in both the United States and Taiwan, a project-based learning environment incorporating a GOCAA was effective in improving students' science knowledge and developing their scientific argumentation skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The author compared monosyllabic Mandarin lexical tones produced by 3-year-old Mandarin-speaking children growing up in Taiwan and in the United States. Method: Following the procedures in Wong, Schwartz, and Jenkins (2005), the author collected monosyllabic tone productions from 3-year-old Mandarin-speaking children in Taiwan and low-pass filtered them to eliminate lexical information but retain tone information. Five Mandarin-speaking adults residing in Taiwan categorized these filtered tones and those produced by the Mandarin-speaking children growing up in the United States, the latter of which was reported in Wong et al. (2005). Agreements on tone categorization by judges residing in Taiwan and in the United States were evaluated. Tone accuracy of children growing up in Taiwan and the United States were examined and compared. Results: The Mandarin-speaking judges residing in the United States and in Taiwan showed high agreements on tone categorization. None of the 4 tones produced by the Mandarin-speaking children growing up in the United States and in Taiwan was adultlike. Children in Taiwan made more errors in Tone 2 and Tone 4 than did Mandarin-speaking children growing up in the United States. Accuracy rates of Tone 1 and Tone 3 were comparable in the 2 groups of children. Conclusion: Mandarin tone acquisition is a protracted process. Three-year-old Mandarin-speaking children growing up in Taiwan and the United States show similar developmental patterns and have not yet produced monosyllabic tones with adultlike accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined indicators of health status and healthcare utilization according to immigration status to assess the ‘healthy immigrant effect’ for Chinese adults. Data for Chinese in Taiwan ( n = 15,549) were from the 2001 Taiwan National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Data for U.S.-born Chinese ( n = 964) and Chinese Immigrants in the U.S. ( n = 253) were from the 1998–2004 U.S. NHIS. We used multivariate logistic regression to estimate the adjusted odds of perceived poor health, having ever smoked, and past year emergency room visits according to immigration status. For Chinese immigrants, more years in the U.S. were associated with lower odds of reporting poor health (OR = 0.4; 95% CI = 0.2–0.8) and past-year emergency room use (OR = 0.5; 95% CI = 0.3–0.9). Compared with recent Chinese immigrants (<5 years in U.S.), Chinese in Taiwan had higher odds of reporting poor health (OR = 6.2; 95% CI = 3.2–12.1) and having ever smoked (OR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.1–2.5). Our results suggest that those who migrate have better health profiles than those who do not migrate. However, recent Chinese immigrants were not significantly different than U.S.-born Chinese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]