Attenuation of neuropsychiatric symptoms and caregiver burden in Alzheimer's disease by motor intervention: a controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of motor intervention on the neuropsychiatric symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and on the caregivers' burden. DESIGN: This is a controlled trial evaluating the effects of a motor intervention program on the neuropsychiatric symptoms. SETTING: The intervention was performed on community patients from two university centers specializing in physical exercise for the elderly. SUBJECTS: Patients with Alzheimer's disease were divided into two groups: sixteen received the motor intervention and sixteen controls (five controls were excluded because of clinical intercurrences). INTERVENTIONS: Aerobic exercises (flexibility, strength, and agility) and functional balance exercises were conducted over six months for 60 minutes three times per week. MAIN MEASURES: Psychopathological features of patients were evaluated with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia. Caregivers were evaluated using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Distress and Burden Interview. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to observe interactions (pre- vs. post-intervention; participants vs. controls). RESULTS: Patients from the intervention presented a significant reduction in neuropsychiatric conditions when compared to controls (Neuropsychiatric Inventory: F: 11.12; p = 0.01; Cornell Depression scale: F: 11.97; p = 0.01). The burden and stress of caregivers responsible for patients who participated in the intervention significantly decreased when compared to caregivers responsible for controls (Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Distress: F: 9.37; p = 0.01; Burden Interview: F: 11.28; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Aerobic exercise was associated with a reduction in the neuropsychiatric symptoms and contributed to attenuate the caregivers' burden. However, the researchers were not blinded to the patient's intervention status, which constitutes an important limitation of this study.

O design na indústria moveleira brasileira e seus aspectos sustentáveis: estudo de caso no pólo moveleiro de Arapongas-Pr

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Assento adaptável para pessoas com paralisia cerebral e seqüela de escoliose: aplicando ergonomia por meio do design - num estudo de caso

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Intervenção ergonômica e o uso da simulação computacional na concepção de produtos: o design de uma plantadora mecanizada de mandioca

Pós-graduação em Design - FAAC

Effects of a metatextual intervention program in developing written narratives of students with learning difficulties

This study aimed to verify the effects of a metatextual intervention program, in the elaboration of stories written by students with learning difficulties. Four students were included in the sample of both genders, with ages ranging between eight years and four months and ten years and two months of age. The program was implemented at the participant schools, using an approach of multiple baseline within-subjects, with two conditions: baseline and intervention. Data analysis was based on the classification of stories produced by the students. Mann-Whitney testing was also applied, to analyze whether there have been significant changes in these productions. The results indicated that all students have improved performance in relation to the categories of produced stories, from elementary schemas (33%), for a more elaborate scheme (77%), with a better structuring of the elements that constitute a story. Statistical analysis also showed that the intervention has produced significant results for all variables analyzed. The data obtained have shown that the program was effective.

A relação das tendinopatias do manguito rotador com as atividades cotidianas: uma contribuição para o design ergonômico

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Assessment of the effects of a parental intervention with mothers of children with internalizing problems

The present study assesses the effects of a semi-structured intervention held exclusively with mothers and its effects on internalizing problems, social skills of children, and positive and negative parenting practices. The single subject experimental design with three participants was adopted. The three mothers had, in baseline, children diagnosed with internalizing and externalizing problems. The instruments used were CBCL, RE-HSE-P, QRSH-Pais and PHQ-9, they were performed in baseline, pre-test, post-test, and follow-up assessments. The intervention held is characterized as semi-structured for it promotes the development of parental practices that are considered positive by the literature on behavior problems, however, contingently to the difficulties and demands of each case. The number of sessions performed for each case was 14, 15 and 17, which lasted about two hours each. The data were analyzed according to the instruments' norms and under the perspective of each singular case. The results found include remission of internalizing problems, increase in frequency of the children's social skills, increase in frequency of positive parental practices, and decrease in variability of negative parental practices. All the improvements were maintained on the six months follow-up, with the exception of variability on the negative parental practices of one client. Results are discussed in a context of mental health promotion and indicate the need for strategies to prevent internalizing problems in children.