Pilot investigation of an activity-based approach to building hardiness

BACKGROUND

The purpose was to describe an activity-based psychological hardiness training programme delivered by an occupational therapist and examine its acceptability and effectiveness in improving hardiness.

METHOD

Participants (N=28) completed the 6-hour programme, which included pre/post-programme completion of the Dispositional Resilience Scale-15 (DRS-15) and a Program Evaluation Form. Paired t-tests were used to determine differences between pre-training and post-training scores on the DRS-15.

RESULTS

Results showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in total hardiness, commitment, and control scores on the DRS-15 from pre-training to post-training and good-excellent ratings for all categories on the Program Evaluation Form.

CONCLUSIONS

This programme evaluation described an occupational therapist's role in providing an activity-based psychological hardiness training programme and provided preliminary support for the acceptability of an activity-based approach to training psychological hardiness for service members.

Postmicturition residual bladder volumes in healthy babies

Thirty eight assessments of postmicturition residual volume were undertaken in 34 babies of various gestational and postnatal ages using abdominal ultrasonography. Twenty one (54%) babies had no detectable residual bladder volume. In all cases manual expression of the bladder failed to eliminate the residual volume. The formula widely used in the estimation of fetal bladder size and urine output is not applicable in the newborn infant.