Matthew E. Sprong

Delay Discounting of Video Game Players: Comparison of Time Duration Among Gamers

Video game addiction or Internet game disorder, as proposed by the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition), has similar criterion characteristics to other impulse control disorders. There is limited research examining video game addiction within a behavioral economic framework using delay discounting. The current study evaluated delay-discounting patterns of money and video game play by usual weekly hours of video game play. A total of 104 participants were split into 1 of 3 groups of video game players (low, medium, and high) and were asked to complete a monetary and video game discounting procedure through an online survey. Results showed significant differences between groups within both the monetary (p = 0.003) and video game discounting procedures (p = 0.004). Additionally, a positive linear relationship was noted between the groups across both procedures. The results of the current article reinforce previous findings that more hours of video game use are associated with greater impulsivity and provide implications for future research.

Demonstrating the validity of the Video Game Functional Assessment-Revised (VGFA-R)

Problematic video play has been well documented over the course of the last decade. So much so the DSM-5 (APA, 2013) has included problematic video gaming as disorder categorized as Internet Gaming Disorder. The field of applied behavior analysis has been utilizing functional assessments for the last 30 years and has showed evidence of effective results across different populations and environments. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation (comprising three studies) was to validate an indirect functional assessment entitled the Video Game Functional Assessment-Revised (VGFA-R). Using academic experts in the field of video game addiction and applied behavioral analysis (n?=?6), the first study examined the content validity of the VGFA-R and was able to demonstrate the assessment exceeded the criterion for an established assessment. A second study comprising a survey of 467 gamers examined the factorability by using a confirmatory factor analysis, and found that VGFA-R had an overall variance above .60. Within the third laboratory-based study using gamers (n?=?11), the VGFA-R was examined for construct validity and found the VGFA-R was able to predict 85% of the appropriate function of behavior. Implications of the study are discussed along with the strengths and limitations of the study and future research directions. We validated and standardized an indirect functional assessment on video gaming.The assessment examines the motivation of individuals video game playing.Attention, escape, and tangible functions are the ?three primary maintaining functions.The VGFA-R can benefit therapists providing therapy for internet gaming disorder.

Establishing the Behavioral Function of Video Game Use: Development of the Video Game Functional Assessment

Establishing the Behavioral Function of Video Game Use: Development of the Video Game Functional Assessment A great deal of attention has been focused on individuals who play video and computer games despite physical and psychological consequences. Unfortunately, instruments that have been developed to determine problematic gaming have not completely measured the behavioral component of video game addiction. Identifying the behavioral functions of video game play would allow for the development of behavioral interventions specifically targeted at reducing or replacing those functions. A behavioral perspective may provide valuable information as to why gamers continue to play video games despite encountering difficulties in other areas of their lives as a result of their video gaming habits. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the four reinforcing functions that maintain video game play and develop an instrument to measure these functions. Results supported a three-factor measurement model associated with the functions that maintain continued video game play, including (a) escape, (b) tangible, and (c) attention. Discussion and implications are provided.

Marketing Vocational Rehabilitation Services in Rural Communities

As a state-federal program, vocational rehabilitation is an eligibility program; however, the decision to participate is voluntary. Many persons with disabilities in rural areas remain unaware of the existence or have a misunderstanding about the purpose of the program, and the same often occur among employers. The intent of this chapter is to present approaches of marketing VR services and improving outreach among rehabilitation counselors when providing services in rural communities. A review of existing models from human service programs will provide a backdrop for various marketing approaches applicable to state vocational rehabilitation agencies.

Rehabilitation technology services and employment outcomes among consumers using division of rehabilitation services

Abstract Purpose: The primary goal of the study was to evaluate how the use of rehabilitation technology impacted closure status for consumers receiving services in fiscal year (FY) 2014. Materials and Methods: Rehabilitation Service Administration (RSA-911) Case Service Report FY 2014 archival dataset was obtained from the U.S. Department of Education (2014) and secondary analyses was performed for this study. RSA-911 archival data is updated on an annual basis and consists of all state-federal rehabilitation consumers who were served in the specific fiscal year. The dataset contains information related to each consumer’s demographic information (e.g. age, gender, race) and other supplemental information (e.g. weekly earnings at closure, cause of disability, services provided). Results and Conclusions: A multiple logistic regression analysis was utilized and revealed that white consumers receiving rehabilitation technology (RT) services have significantly higher closure rate than consumers of other races, RT services differ by the employment status at application, RT services differ by the type of disability, educational level at application for people receiving RT services did predict closure status (i.e. exiting with an employment outcome), IEP status did not predict closure status, weekly earnings at application did predict closure status and the interaction effect between IEP and RT services is statistically significant. The odds ratio (ORs) were presented at the 95% confidence interval (CI). Vocational rehabilitation counselors needs training to correctly identify appropriate RT services for consumers, so that the likelihood of exiting with an employment outcome is obtained. Implications for Rehabilitation RT services significantly improved their chances of successful employment compared to those who did not receive RT services. Education at closure would also have some significant impact on employment outcomes. Training in Assistive Technology (AT) for Vocational Rehabilitation counselors will assist in the proper identification of AT requirements, which may lead to a higher likelihood of consumers exiting with an employment outcome.

Test Review: Global Appraisal of Individual Needs–Short Screener (GAIN-SS):

The Global Appraisal of Individual Needs–Short Screener (GAIN-SS) is one of a family of instruments that range from screening or quick assessments to a full biopsychosocial and monitoring tool. The 23-item screener takes approximately 5 to 10 min to administer. The GAIN-SS was developed to quickly identify individuals as having one or more behavioral health disorders when administered the full version of the GAIN (Dennis, Feeney, Stevens, & Bedoya, 2008). It has 23 items that include measurement of internal mental distress disorders (i.e., somatic symptoms, depression, anxiety, trauma, homicidal/suicidal ideation), externalizing disorders (i.e., inattentiveness disorders, hyperactivity-impulsivity, conduct disorders), substancerelated problems (i.e., substance issues, substance abuse, substance dependence), and crime/violence (i.e., general conflict, drug-related crimes, property-related crimes, interpersonal crime). Once a behavioral health disorder is identified, further assessment may be needed to make appropriate referrals for additional support. In addition to the GAIN-SS, clinicians have a variety of assessment instruments to draw from. The GAIN Quick Assessment identifies individuals who will need feedback, brief intervention, or referral for more specialized assessment or treatment. The GAIN Initial Assessment (Clinical Core and Full Version) assists a clinician in diagnosing psychiatric disabilities and in the development of treatment plans. The full version of the GAIN (designated as GAIN-I) was created in 1993 as a collective effort between clinicians, researchers, and policy makers to create a comprehensive and standardized biopsychosocial assessment tool that would move beyond research to meet the treatment needs of adolescents and adults in a wide range of settings. Dr. Michael Dennis, senior research psychologist and director of the GAIN Coordinating Center, led this project with the goal of providing the GAIN assessment tool for a variety of populations in numerous settings including outpatient programs, intensive outpatient programs’ shortand long-term residential centers, welfare programs, and primary care programs (Chestnut Health Systems, 2015). The authors of the GAIN created this assessment instrument in the 1990s due to the reluctance of substance abuse treatment programs and mental health agencies to assess for mental health or addiction-related disorders because there were no effective treatments available at the time. Currently, more substance abuse treatment programs pursue diagnosing co-occurring disorders and require effective instruments for screening, assessment, and planning purposes, which has led to the development of the GAIN-SS. Sacks (2008) suggested that the GAIN-SS and GAIN-I are commonly used in treatment centers for substance use disorders. Previous versions of the GAIN-SS had items measuring behavioral health disorders using closed-ended questions with no opportunity for elaboration. For example, Question 1 asks an individual, “During the past 12 months, have you had significant problems . . . (a) with feeling very trapped, lonely, sad, blue, depressed, or hopeless about the future?” (Dennis, Feeney, & Titus, 2013, p. 31). Individuals could respond by either indicating yes or no. The frequency of yes responses within each subscreener were computed, which resulted in participants being placed in the low (unlikely to have a diagnosis), moderate (a possible diagnosis; the client is likely to benefit from a brief assessment), or high (high probability of a diagnosis; the client is likely to need more formal assessment and intervention, either directly or through referral) categories (Sprong, Upton, & Pappas, 2012). The new version of the GAIN-SS (v.3) has incorporated a mechanism that measures the severity of these symptoms within a specific time frame, including past month, 2 to 3 months, 4 to 12 months, 1+ year, never. The newer version can be used in many settings (e.g., employee assistant programs) and be used as a method to measure periodic behavioral health change over time (Dennis et al., 2008). GAIN-SS licensing cost is US

Multiuniversity Comparison of Faculty Attitudes and Use of Universal Design Instructional Techniques.

100 per agency. This cost includes unlimited use of paper assessment (provided in a PDF document to be printed by the agency) for up to 5 years. Chestnut Health Systems also offers a web application where the GAIN-SS can be administered to an unlimited amount of clients per account. Those who purchase this licensing agreement are able to gather data from the four 632485 RCBXXX10.1177/0034355216632485Rehabilitation Counseling BulletinDell and Sprong research-article2016

Post-Secondary Faculty Attitudes toward Inclusive Teaching Strategies

Purpose: To examine postsecondary faculty attitudes and actions toward inclusive teaching strategies (ITS) designed to benefit all learners. Method: The Inclusive Teaching Strategies Inventory is a self-report survey that measures faculty attitudes toward ITS and traditional academic accommodations, as well as their in-class actions. The authors electronically sent the survey to faculty (N = 422) at 3 universities. Results: Results concluded that experience with previous disability-related training (e.g., workshops, courses, books/articles, websites) was associated with more positive self-reported attitudes toward ITS and more actual use of ITS in courses. No significant differences in attitudes or actions between the 3 universities were found. Other findings revealed attitudes toward ITS were associated with actions incorporating ITS in courses. Conclusion: Rehabilitation educators should review ITS guidelines, seek ITS training opportunities on their respective campuses, begin to incorporate ITS where appropriate for specific courses, and measure ITS effectiveness after implementation in courses. Additional research is recommended to examine ITS effectiveness in various postsecondary educational settings.