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Call to Action for Looming Caregiving Crisis in the U.S.
Experts in the field of unpaid and paid caregiving for chronically ill or disabled adults are warning of a looming caregiving crisis in the United States—and say that innovation and entrepreneurship are desperately needed to avert that crisis. “We are calling for federal and state legislation for greater innovation and technology to avert unnecessary hospital admissions and visits to the emergency room, payment for family care givers, education and training for family caregivers and greater awareness and support among employers for workers who are also family caregivers—estimated to be between 15 percent and 20 percent of any employee population,” says Melissa O'Connor, PhD, MBA, RN, an associate professor at the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing at Villanova. Dr. O'Connor specializes in geriatric nursing and home health care. An American Association of Retired Persons study showed that, in 2010, the caregiver support ratio was seven potential family caregivers for every person in the high-risk 80-plus cohort. In contrast, by 2030, the ratio is projected to be four to one. And by 2050, a sharp decline to fewer than three to one. Based on her years of research, Dr. O'Connor says more reimbursement for telehealth and other technologies that are proving to be very effective are needed. As a nurse educator, she also called for more training of clinical staff in caring for older adults. At a recent meeting of the Philadelphia Chapter of Aging 2.0, Dr. O'Connor and fellow panelists shared key points: Men and millennials are overtaking women as family caregivers; employers are often unaware of the economic consequences employee caregivers face and usually underestimate the percentage of employees with caregiving responsibilities; nearly 35 percent of employee caregivers have chosen or been forced by circumstances to leave the workforce because of caregiving responsibilities; and healthcare benefit costs for employees with caregiving responsibilities are eight percent higher than the rest of the employee population.
Turning disability into accessibility
As communities grow and modernize – are we making the proper accommodations for those with disabilities to live a fulfilling, productive, and independent life? It’s a popular topic and one that we are now seeing being advocated more in many areas of everyday life. Accessibility laws and expectations are now ensuring that all aspects of education, business, transit, and health care are made available to everyone. The concept is sound – but how are we as a community developing reasonable accommodations and community resources that allow all people to participate in the community and successfully live their life? Often, it’s not a matter of intentional exclusion, rather the issue simply hasn’t been considered and no plan exists. And there are costs to not having a plan in place. Not addressing these “social determinants of health” (housing, transportation, etc.) affect healthcare outcomes and raise costs of hospitals, social services, and health care. Addressing these issues and improving accessibility may actually increase societal health, decrease long-term societal healthcare costs, and bolster the tax base. But as we move forward there are a lot of questions in the community about how to approach accessibility: What mechanisms are in place to gather input on needs, identify barriers, and consider requests for accommodation? What types of accessibility needs exist of the people who will use different community settings? (Physical, cognitive, sensory, emotional, developmental, etc.)? What types of accessibility barriers exist (architectural, environmental, attitudinal, financial, transportation, etc.)? How much do different accommodations cost? How can community settings partner with people with disabilities and/or health and human service providers? What specific ways can accessibility improve societal health? And that’s where the experts from CARF can help. Christine M. MacDonell is the Managing Director of Medical Rehabilitation and International Aging Services/Medical Rehabilitation at CARF International. She can address the issue of accessibility as it relates to people who have experienced brain injury, stroke, cancer, amputation, and spinal cord injury. Christine is available to speak with media regarding this topic – simply click on her icon to arrange an interview.
Opioid addiction is gripping America. It’s destroying lives, tearing apart families and devouring resources in policing and healthcare. As medical, mental health and addictions professionals look for solutions, often times accessible and public Opioid Treatment Programs, often known as a Methadone Clinic will open in communities. These clinics bring relief, treatment and support – but they also bring crowds, increased traffic and concern from local residents and the community. These concerns usually find their way to the media, where the attention can quickly turn negative. The solution to avoiding this scrutiny and making sure residents, business owners and community leaders are fully informed about the process, operation and security measures at these clinics are key to their success and integration. Questions such as: How was the site selected? How do you plan to control traffic flow and overcrowding? How will you manage parking and wait times? What are your measures to prevent diversion? Who can I speak to if I have questions or concerns about operations? CARF can speak to best practices, expectations, and requirements for when an opioid treatment program opens. Debbi Witham, Managing Director of Public Policy and is an expert in opioid treatment programs. Debbi is available to speak with media regarding this issue – simply click on her icon to arrange an interview.
It is time for national standards for addiction treatment in America?
America is in the midst of an epidemic, and it is losing. Opioid use often gets the headlines, but substance abuse and addiction is a wider issue with many levels of care and populations The discussion around the country often focuses on causes and criminal justice with less attention paid to the quality and standardization of treatment options and practices. Currently there is no standardized treatment plan in America and it is leaving serious doubts, unfairly, about the effectiveness of treating substance use disorder. “While there are nationally recognized standards for evidence-based care, treatment programs are not required to follow them, and many lack the resources to do so – leaving patients and loved ones with little assurance that a particular program is equipped to deliver high-quality addiction treatment.” Paul H. Earley, MD, DFASAM, MedPageToday.com But what would a standardized addiction treatment system look like? How would it increase transparency and consumer confidence? How would it ensure consistent expectations across the country? What are the costs; can America afford not to implement these strategies? There are a lot of questions and that’s where CARF International can help. Michael Johnson is Managing Director of Behavioral Health at CARF and is an expert in treatment strategies for mental health and substance use disorder. Michael is available to speak with media regarding this topic – simply click on his expert icon to arrange an interview.
Valentines Day thoughtfulness has intrinsic rewards, says University of Rochester professor
We’ve all heard that it’s better to give than to receive. When it comes to Valentines Day, there’s empirical evidence to show that being thoughtful to a spouse is rewarding in and of itself. A 2017 study by University of Rochester Psychology Professor Harry Reis shows that when we show compassion toward our partner—when we put aside personal wishes in order to meet the partner’s needs—it makes us feel better, even if—and this was a surprise—those acts of compassion go unrecognized by the recipient. Over the course of 14 days, husbands and wives reported giving and receiving an average of .65 and .59 compassionate acts each day—with husbands perceiving more such acts than did their partners. The acts included such things as changing personal plans for the partner’s sake, doing something that showed the partner was valued, and expressing tenderness for the spouse. For Reis, the results suggest that acting compassionately may be its own reward, or in this case, its own Valentines gift. Professor Reis’s research interests involve social interaction and close relationships. He studies the factors that influence the quantity and closeness of social interaction, and the consequences of different patterns of socializing for health and psychological well-being.
Empowered Storytelling Geared Toward Women Is a Winning Combo for Super Bowl Ads, Baylor Expert Says
Television advertisers who have chosen to appeal to women fans and viewers during this weekend’s Super Bowl have committed their millions of dollars to a wise strategy, according to a Baylor University marketing and advertising expert. Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of marketing in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business, studies consumer behavior and attitudes, multicultural media and advertising, and movies and entertainment. Each year, she and her students analyze the Super Bowl ads. And each year, she said, she sees more ads geared toward women. In fact, AdAge reports that brands like Bumble, Toyota and Procter & Gamble's Olay are featuring women in lead roles in their Super Bowl commercials this year. “That’s smart,” Lindsey-Warren said. “The current and future market power of women – as a whole and by segments – is undeniable and truly cannot be ignored by marketers.” To make her point, she cited research showing that women influence more than 80 percent of all consumer spending; 89 percent of the financial decisions are made by women; and globally, women control more than $20 trillion in world-wide spending. In addition, nearly 24.3 million African American women are brand loyalists and cultural trendsetters who have influence over the $1.2 trillion dollars in black spending power. Forbes reported in 2018 that “women constituted about 49 percent of the 108 million-plus people who watched” that year’s Super Bowl – and paid closer attention to the ads. “Nowadays, whatever brands plan to do during the Super Bowl must be extremely strategic and well planned when commercials go for over $5 million dollars,” Lindsey-Warren said. “With the #metoo and #times up movements as well as the diversity and gender issues in advertising industry and more, I think brands struggle as to how they approach targeting women on such a global stage.” She said brands that use “empowered storytelling” – storytelling that exudes the emotion of empowerment – make a difference. Good examples, she said, are Always’ “Like a Girl” commercial in 2015 and Audi’s “Daughter” commercial in 2017. “In my research, especially among Millennials and Gen Z, this approach is a powerful combination for brands who want to increase purchase intentions for their products or services,” Lindsey-Warren said. “The emotion of empowerment is multidimensional and promotes encouragement and can be extremely motivational,” she said. “When one is empowered, it can be an ‘aha’ moment and very transformational in a positive manner. In addition, empowered storytelling is a proactive approach to storytelling that demands you keep the receiver of the story in mind at every stage of the process because, at the end of the day, you want the receiver of the story to be better in some way for having received the empowered narrative they just viewed or experienced.” And when consumers are empowered, they tend to tell others. In the digital space, this looks like sharing videos, posts, quotes and more on social media channels. “Essentially, empowered storytelling gives brands the opportunity to achieve the right balance of entertaining and encouraging and, ultimately, healing by showing that they care for their consumers through the motivational messages and narratives they are producing,” Lindsey-Warren said. ABOUT TYRHA LINDSEY-WARREN, Ph.D. Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., is a marketing scholar, business executive, artist and entrepreneur. As a consumer behavior scholar, her research is rooted in narrative transportation theory (i.e., storytelling) that exudes the emotion of empowerment and its impact on consumer attitudes, behaviors, purchase intention and message recall. She also studies health edutainment, multicultural media and advertising, as well as movies and entertainment. Lindsey-Warren is an expert in effective communications strategies for leaders, multicultural communications and marketing. Her latest research, “An Examination of Television Consumption By Racial and Ethnic Audiences in the U.S.,” was published in the Journal of Advertising Research. She will be discussing this study during panel discussions in New York City and Los Angeles for the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. ABOUT HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business provides a rigorous academic experience, consisting of classroom and hands-on learning, guided by Christian commitment and a global perspective. Recognized nationally for several programs, including Entrepreneurship and Accounting, the school offers 24 undergraduate and 13 graduate areas of study. Visit www.baylor.edu/business and follow on Twitter at twitter.com/Baylor_Business.
Americans Are Happier in States That Spend More on Libraries, Parks and Highways
Such ‘public goods’ also are less likely to spark political conflict, Baylor researcher says Americans are happier in states where governments spend more on public goods, such as libraries, parks, highways, natural resources and police protection, a Baylor University study has found. “Public goods are things you can’t exclude people from using — and one person using them doesn’t stop another from doing so,” said researcher Patrick Flavin, Ph.D., associate professor of political science in Baylor’s College of Arts & Sciences. “They’re typically not profitable to produce in the private market, so if the government doesn’t provide them, they will either be under-provided or not at all.” Public goods spending makes communities “more livable, with more amenities,” Flavin said. “If roads are completed and kept up, so that people aren’t stuck in traffic, they have more time to do things they enjoy doing. Large parks are social spaces — and one clear finding of happiness studies is that people who are more socially connected tend to be happier.” Another benefit of spending money on public goods is that such amenities generally boost home values — and “while higher property taxes generally accompany higher home values, it seems that the good outweighs the unfortunate part about having to pay higher taxes,” Flavin said. In his study, published in the journal Social Science Research, Flavin analyzed data on respondents’ self-reported levels of happiness for 1976-2006 from the General Social Survey, a representative sample of Americans that monitors social characteristics and attitudes of Americans and is a project of the independent research organization NORC at the University of Chicago. Flavin also analyzed detailed government spending data for states from the U.S. Census Bureau for 1976-2006. Revenues to fund state public goods are raised from a combination of state taxes and transfers from the federal government to states, averaging 22.5 percent of total state revenues for that 30-year period. “We can look at the city where people live, their neighborhoods, and see how public goods spending predicts happiness after taking other important factors, such as marital status, health, education and income, into account,” Flavin said. He also found that public goods spending has broad benefits across income, education, gender and race/ethnicity lines. “Compared to a lot of the other government spending, public goods tend to be less controversial between liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, compared to poverty assistance or unemployment benefits, where there is definite disagreement between political parties,” Flavin said. “I think there is less political conflict over public goods spending simply because if they government doesn’t provide them, they won’t be provided at all.” Flavin cautioned that there is not necessarily a cause-and-effect relationship between public goods and happiness. “It could be that happier citizens self-select by moving to states that spend comparatively more on public goods,” he said. “It also is possible that happier citizens support higher spending on public goods and elect state officials to deliver on that policy.” Because some spending for public goods comes from local government, Flavin hopes to do a study linking citizens to their local city instead of only to the state. And because living a happy and satisfying life is a nearly universal human goal, he predicts that better understanding of how policies concretely impact quality of life will receive increasing attention from researchers in the years to come. ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. ABOUT BAYLOR COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University’s oldest and largest academic division, consisting of 25 academic departments and seven academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. Faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines.
Declaring a New Year's Resolution for 2019? Baylor Experts Can Help
WACO, Texas (Dec. 17, 2018) – As 2019 approaches, many Americans are considering ways to improve themselves via New Year’s resolutions. Whether it’s personal, like losing weight or clearing clutter, or it’s professional, such as being a better manager or breaking away from smartphones, the options are wide-ranging. Here is a listing of Baylor University research that might help advise those seeking positive change in the coming year. First and Foremost, Resolve not to Over-resolve Only 10 to 20 percent of people keep their resolutions, says Sara Dolan, Ph.D., associate professor and graduate program director of clinical psychology. She advises setting “bite-sized goals instead of a massive behavior change.” Rather than giving up sugar completely or going all out at the gym, she advises achieving small successes before moving on. Ask Yourself: “Do I really want to work from home?” Many U.S. employees believe working from home – or at least away from the office – can bring freedom and stress-free job satisfaction. A 2018 Baylor University study says, “Not so fast.” The research, led by Sara Perry, Ph.D., assistant professor of management in Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, found that: Autonomy is critical to protecting remote employees’ well-being and helping them avoid strain. Employees reporting high levels of autonomy and emotional stability appear to be the most able to thrive in remote-work positions. Employees reporting high levels of job autonomy with lower levels of emotional stability appear to be more susceptible to strain. “Any organization, regardless of the extent to which people work remotely, needs to consider well-being of their employees as they implement more flexible working practices,” the researchers wrote. Read more here. Save Money by being a Better Negotiator In today’s retail climate, where stores struggle to keep up with online competition and customers can compare prices with the ease of their smartphones, the price tag is just a starting point for negotiations, said negotiation expert Emily Hunter, Ph.D., associate professor of management in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business. “No longer do you need to pay sticker price for everything you buy. The customer is now empowered to have a say in pricing, and even hourly retail workers are often empowered to give price discounts when requested,” Hunter said. Hunter said negotiations – whether in a retail setting or in the workplace – require confidence. “Many people are hesitant to negotiate because they don’t know how or they are worried about the other person’s reaction (Will they think I’m greedy?),” she said. “But practice can increase your confidence in your ability to negotiate. Rejection is less common than you fear, and retail stores especially are often willing to work with you.” She offered the following tips to increase the chances of greater deals at the check-out counter. Resolving to Be More Generous in the New Year Many Americans already have enough “stuff,” and the gift-giving season sometimes adds to that collection of things we really don’t need. Instead of always receiving, how can we resolve to be more generous in the New Year? “Whatever our station, however much money or resources we have, we all have something to share and something to give,” says Andy Hogue, Ph.D., senior lecturer in Baylor’s Honors College who teaches a course on philanthropy and the public good. “I like the idea of thinking in terms of a New Year’s resolution, sort of resolving to be more generous and helping people to think in those ways.” Hogue offers individuals and families four ways to develop a spirit of generosity in the New Year. Home Cooking Saves Money, Encourages Better Diet The more home-prepared foods used, the less risk there is of eating too many calories and fat calories, says Baylor University nutrition expert Janelle Walter, Ph.D., professor of family and consumer sciences and Nutrition Sciences Program coordinator. Home cooking also saves money and allows for more fruits, vegetables and dairy products — which often are missing when pre-prepared products are used — as well as less fat, sugar and salt. Some tips for prepping at home are making a precise list, lining up recipes and lists of ingredients, shopping when you aren’t hungry and preparing five main dishes at a time to see you through a few days. Involve your family in choosing foods, shopping and preparing foods, Walter says. Many simple and quick recipes are on online sites, she said, referencing these from Southern Living. Consider a New Approach to Dieting Meredith David, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business, researched successful dieters and how they were different from others. Her research results have received national attention. “Our research shows that instead of creating rules to avoid one’s favorite treats, dieters should focus on eating healthy foods that they enjoy,” David said. “Dieters who restrict themselves from consuming the foods they love most may be setting themselves up for failure. Instead, they may be better off by allowing occasional ‘treats’ and focusing attention on healthy foods that they enjoy and making it a point to include those tasty but healthy foods in their diet.” Read the full article. Be Humble and Helpful In hard times, you know how much a helping hand means — and how humbling those times can be. So it might be good to resolve to look for opportunities to assist in 2019, while remembering not to pat yourself on the back for doing so. A decision to help someone else is influenced by time pressure, number of bystanders, empathy or a person's own distress — but that’s not all, says Baylor researcher Wade Rowatt, Ph.D., professor of psychology and neuroscience. “While several factors influence whether people will volunteer to help, it appears that humble people, on average, are more helpful than individuals who are egotistical or conceited.” Cultivate Patience — and Better Mental Health People who are more patient toward others also tend to be more hopeful, grateful and satisfied with life, says Sara Schnitker, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and neuroscience. And there is more than one type of patience, including interpersonal patience — dealing with annoying people without losing your cool; handling life hardships — such as illness or unemployment — without frustration or despair; and coping with such daily hassles as traffic jams, computer woes and long lines. In her research, Schnitker invited undergraduates to two weeks of patience training, where they learned to identify feelings and their triggers, regulate their emotions, empathize and meditate. If you want to build your own patience, she recommends following three steps: identify, imagine and sync. First, take a moment to slow down an identify how you are feeling and why you might be feeling that way. Second, try to imagine or reappraise the situation from a different perspective or in a new way that helps you to be calm. Finally, sync with your purpose. Try to connect how what you are doing or enduring helps you pursue larger goals or your life purpose. When Ailing, Talk to A Doctor Instead of Searching the Internet for Answers Rather than heading to the doctor — or even the medicine cabinet — some people turn first to the Internet when they are ailing , according to a Baylor University researcher. Especially for folks who have trouble handling uncertainty, "cyberchondria" — the online counterpart to hypochondria — worsens as they seek answers, says Thomas Fergus, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience in Baylor's College of Arts & Sciences. “They may become more anxious. And the more they search, the more they consider the possibilities,” he says. Doubts about health also can trigger worries about medical bills, disability and job loss, he said. And that can lead to a Catch-22 of more Googling (sometimes of questionable sources). Rather than giving in to cyberchondria, resolve to call your doctor — and take what you read with a grain of salt. In Conflicts with your Significant Other, Relinquish Power During spats with your spouse or significant other, the most common thing people want is not an apology, but a willingness to relinquish power, says Keith Sanford, Ph.D., professor of psychology and neuroscience in Baylor University's College of Arts & Sciences. That comes in many forms, among them giving a partner more independence, admitting faults, showing respect and being willing to compromise. Following closely behind the desire for shared control was the wish for the partner to show more of an investment in the relationship by such ways as sharing intimate thoughts or feelings, listening and sharing chores and activities, Sanford said. Sleep Better in the New Year Writing a “to-do” list at bedtime may aid in falling asleep, according to a Baylor University study by Michael K. Scullin, Ph.D., director of Baylor’s Sleep Neuroscience and Cognition Laboratory and assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience. Scullin's 2018 research compared sleep patterns of participants who took five minutes to write down upcoming duties versus participants who chronicled completed activities. Scullin suggests that writing a list may allow the brain to “offload” them instead of cycling through them repeatedly. Other hints: Use the bed for sleep rather than studying or entertainment; keep a regular sleep schedule; avoid electronics near bedtime; don’t take long day naps; and stay away from stimulants at least six hours before bedtime. Clear Out Clutter Without Getting Frazzled “Don’t try to organize the entire house in one weekend,” said Elise King, assistant professor in the department of family and consumer sciences. “You are much more likely to complete a task, especially one that you’ve probably been avoiding, if you break it into small goals. Don’t try to clean out an entire room over a weekend; instead, focus on the desk one week, the closet the next, and so forth.” Finally, involve your family, strive to make organization a routine — and reward yourself for your efforts. Break Away from the Smartphone Baylor marketing researchers James Roberts and Meredith David, Ph.D. have conducted numerous studies on the effects of smartphone technology on relationships. Their studies on “phubbing” – phone snubbing – have garnered national and international interest, given the pervasiveness of smartphone technology and its impact on relationships. Their studies have found: Bosses Who “Phone Snub” Their Employees Risk Losing Trust and Engagement “Phubbing” can damage romantic relationships and lead to higher levels of depression People who are phone snubbed by others are, themselves, often turning to their smartphones and social media to find acceptance “Although the stated purpose of technology like smartphones is to help us connect with others, in this particular instance, it does not,” David said. “Ironically, the very technology that was designed to bring humans closer together has isolated us from these very same people.”
Better Sleep - Not 'All-Nighters' - Helps Students on Final Exams
Students given extra points if they met “The 8-hour Challenge” — averaging eight hours of sleep for five nights during final exams week — did better than those who snubbed (or flubbed) the incentive, according to Baylor University research. “Better sleep helped rather than harmed final exam performance, which is contrary to most college students’ perceptions that they have to sacrifice either studying or sleeping. And you don’t have to be an ‘A’ student or have detailed education on sleep for this to work,” said Michael Scullin, Ph.D., , director of Baylor’s Sleep Neuroscience and Cognition Laboratory and assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience in Baylor’s College of Arts & Sciences. While students who successfully met the sleep challenge received extra points for the “mini-incentive,” the additional credit was not included in the analysis of how well they performed on the finals, emphasized Elise King, assistant professor of interior design in Baylor’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. “They didn’t just perform well because they received extra points,” she said. “Students know that sacrificing sleep to complete school work is not a healthy choice, but they assume they don't have a choice, often remarking that there aren't enough hours in the day for coursework, extracurriculars, jobs, etc. “This removes that excuse.” Research participants included undergraduate interior design students and students in upper-level psychology and neuroscience classes. While the psychology classes emphasized education about sleep, the interior design students did not receive any formal training in sleep. Those who opted to take the challenge wore wristband sleep-monitoring devices for five days to ensure accurate study results. “The students didn’t need the extra credit to perform better, and they weren’t really better students from the get-go,” Scullin said. “If you statistically correct for whether a student was an A, B, C, or D student before their final exam, sleeping 8 hours was associated with a four-point grade boost — even prior to applying extra credit.” The collaborative interior design study — “The 8-Hour Challenge: Incentivizing Sleep During End-of-Term Assessments” — was published in the Journal of Interior Design. Scullin’s study of psychology students — “The 8-Hour Sleep Challenge During Final Exams Week” — was published in Teaching of Psychology. Poor sleep is common during finals as students cut back on sleep, deal with more stress, use more caffeine and are exposed to more bright light, all of which may disrupt sleep. Fewer than 10 percent of undergraduates maintain the recommended average of 8 hours a night or even the recommended minimum of 7 hours, previous research shows. But with incentives, “we can potentially completely reverse the proportion of students meeting minimum sleep recommendations — 7 hours a night — from fewer than 15 percent up to 90 percent,” Scullin said. “Half of students can even meet optimal sleep recommendations of 8 to 9 hours.” Here are the findings of the two studies: PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS In the study of psychology students, 34 students in two undergraduate courses could earn extra credit if they averaged 8 hours of sleep during final exams week or at least improved upon their sleep from earlier in the semester. The 24 who opted to take the challenge averaged 8.5 hours of sleep, with 17 meeting the goal. On the final exam, students who slept more than 8 hours nightly performed better than those who opted out or slept less than 7.9 hours. The incentive was 8 points — the equivalent of 1 percent on a student’s overall class grade. “It’s worth noting that one student who had a D-plus grade before the final but slept more than 8 hours a week during finals week, remarked that it was the ‘first time my brain worked while taking an exam,’” Scullin said. INTERIOR DESIGN STUDENTS In the interior design study challenge, students earned credit if they averaged 8 or more hours a night but received no grade change if they averaged 7 to 7.9 hours a night. Of the 27 students enrolled in the program, 22 attempted the challenge. Compared with a group of 22 students who did not try for the extra points, very few (9 percent) averaged 8 hours or even 7 hours (14 percent). The 8‐hour challenge increased the percentage of 8‐ and 7‐hour sleepers to 59 percent and 86 percent respectively. Students who took part in the challenge slept an average of 98 minutes more per night compared to students who were not offered the incentive but were monitored. “Critically, the additional sleep did not come at a cost to project performance,” King said. “Students who showed more consistent sleep performed better than those who had less consistent sleep. And students who achieved the challenge performed as well as or better than those who did not take the challenge." In a study of sleep and creativity done in 2017, King and Scullin found that interior design students with highly variable sleep habits — cycling between “all-nighters” and “catch-up” nights — had decreased cognition in attention and creativity, especially with major projects. Design students customarily complete finals projects rather than final exams. “Whether or not they ‘pull an all-nighter,’ when students cut their sleep, the effects are obvious,” King said. “They have trouble paying attention during class, and they aren't as productive during studio time.” She noted that there is a cultural acceptability — at least in design professions — related to sleep deprivation, in part because of the notion of the "tortured artist" who finds inspiration in the wee hours. “Some fields might find it unprofessional, but for many years, in design, sacrificing sleep was viewed as a rite of passage. That's something we're trying to change,” King said. “Even during stressful deadline weeks, students can maintain healthy sleep habits.” “To be successful at the challenge, students need to manage their time better during the day. Getting more sleep at night then allows them to be more efficient the next day,” Scullin said. “By training students in their first year of college, if not earlier, that they can sleep well during finals week without sacrificing performance, we may help to resolve the ‘global sleep epidemic’ that plagues students in America and abroad.” *Co-researcher on the interior design sleep study was Christine Mobley, Ph.D., lecturer at the University of Kentucky.
Why Some Mannequins Are Turning Blue, Taking a Dive and Putting on Weight
Baylor University fashion expert and author explains new twists in 'silent selling' -- and why frustrated customers may be relieved Women have long griped about pencil-thin mannequins in clothing displays, saying they bear little resemblance to real women’s bodies and make shopping frustrating and depressing. But the criticism is beginning to make inroads, and some members of the apparel industry are introducing changes to stop idealizing thin bodies and make mannequins more inclusive — among them creating mannequins with curvier shapes, modeling the figures after disabled people and, in a very different approach, fashioning forms that are totally unrealistic, says Baylor University researcher Lorynn Divita, Ph.D., co-author of the textbook "Fashion Forecasting” and associate professor of apparel merchandising in Baylor’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. And more change may be in the works, prompted by research. A 2017 study published in the Journal of Eating Disorders found that 100 percent of the female mannequins studied in two large English cities represented an underweight body size — one that would be “medically unhealthy.” (Note: While female mannequins look scrawny, many of their male counterparts are brawny. Only 8 percent of male mannequins represented an underweight body size — although many appeared “unrealistically muscular,” researchers said.) Divita, who conducts research on the apparel industry, tracks trends and makes fashion predictions, offers some observations in this Q&A: Q: If mannequins are supposed to be a “silent seller” and a strong method for attracting customers, why are they so skinny that it is discouraging to women who are average or bigger? Why can’t their makers pack a few extra plastic pounds on them? A: For one thing, mannequins are expensive. The material for one that’s larger is going to cost more, the same way it is for plus-size garments, because you use more material. Typical department store mannequins can cost on average $500 to $900, and it can cost $150 just to repair a joint on a broken mannequin. In New York, where the retail industry is widely unionized, in some stores the sales associates are not allowed to touch the store mannequins. That responsibility is solely for visual merchandisers as a means of protecting the store’s investment. Another reason smaller mannequins have been appealing to retailers is that smaller dimensions make it easier to put on and remove clothing. Q: Wouldn’t it be worth the investment to make them bigger to showcase more realistic or inclusive figures and attract those customers? A: I recently visited the corporate offices of plus-size design company ELOQUII in New York, and their creative director, Jodi Arnold (B.S.H.E. ’88), shared with me that 65 percent of U.S. women are over size 14. Yet they represent only 17 percent of apparel spending. It’s hard to determine cause and effect: are they not spending on apparel because a wide variety of options aren’t available? Or is it that a wide variety of options are not available because this market does not spend on apparel? ELOQUII is betting on the former. In addition to their online store, they’ve recently begun opening brick-and-mortar storefronts which, unlike their website, feature merchandise on mannequins. Hopefully as the plus-sized apparel market continues to grow, the increased demand for plus-sized mannequins will result in wider representation of mannequin body types overall. Q: If most mannequins don’t reflect the majority of women’s physiques, where does the inspiration come for their sizes and shapes? A: Many mannequins can be sculpted using the measurements of live models or even have their proportions based on a celebrity who has a widely admired figure. Just like there is no standard apparel sizing system for women, there is no standard sizing system for display mannequins. Q: Besides beginning to be a bit more realistic in size, how are mannequins evolving? A: We are used to traditionally seeing mannequins in static poses like standing or sitting. With the rise in popularity of activewear, stores are devoting more floor space to this merchandise category, and it only makes sense to put those mannequins in dynamic positions like doing yoga poses or running. Another great example of dynamic poses can be found in swimwear: there are some great displays of mannequins diving. The impact of dynamic poses such as these are heightened when mannequins are displayed in groups of five or seven. Dynamic poses are currently being taken to the next level by actually suspending mannequins from the ceiling, so who knows how far this trend can go? One way to address representation is to go in the opposite direction and make a mannequin that is totally unrealistic. The last time I was shopping, I saw an entire section merchandised with glossy light-blue mannequins. This is actually a very clever way of appealing to everyone by targeting no one. Another interesting thing is that new technology allows visual merchandisers to creatively alter a mannequin’s appearance without changing it permanently by printing vinyl stickers to affix to mannequins’ faces. Merchandisers can print out bold lips or dramatic eyelashes, affix them to the mannequin in the display and easily take them off when they are done, which gives visual merchandisers yet another way to attract our attention. ABOUT LORYNN DIVITA, Ph.D. Divita is the author of the textbook “Fashion Forecasting” (Fourth edition, Fairchild Books). Her publications have appeared in the Journal of the Textile Institute and Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, both published in England; Clothing and Textiles Research Journal and Journal of Textile and Apparel Technology and Management. She is the United States editor for the Bloomsbury Fashion Business Case Studies project and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Fashion, Style and Popular Culture. Divita received her B.A. in French and B.S. in fashion merchandising from California State University Chico, her Master’s degree in apparel manufacturing management from University of Missouri, and her Ph.D. in textile products marketing from University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
