Publications by authors named "Jessica Dugan"

Knowledge accumulates through direct instruction and as a consequence of productive memory processes. We report a longitudinal investigation of correlates of the specific productive process of self-derivation through memory integration, targeted because it is a compelling model of accumulation of semantic information. We sampled 148 children aged 8 to 12 years at enrollment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study aimed to understand contexts for buying food online with food delivery apps, meal kits, and online grocers in Canada. A total of 34 participants (24% identified as men) between the ages of 16 and 60 were interviewed over the phone. The participants were recruited through personal and professional networks, electronic word of mouth, and paid social media ads.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Accumulating world knowledge is a major task of development and education. The productive process of self-derivation through memory integration seemingly is a valid model of the process. To test the model, we examined relations between generation and retention of new factual knowledge via self-derivation through integration and world knowledge as measured by standardised assessments.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Self-derivation of new factual knowledge is crucial for building a knowledge base. In three experiments, we investigated self-derivation about prescription medications. In Experiment 1, adults self-derived new knowledge across textual materials on 40% of trials.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A central goal of development and formal education is to build a knowledge base. Accumulating knowledge relies, in part, on self-derivation of new semantic knowledge via integration of separate yet related learning episodes. Previous tests of self-derivation evidence both age-related and significant individual variability in self-derivation performance in the laboratory and the classroom due in part to individual differences in verbal comprehension (children and adults) and working memory (adults only).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

To build knowledge, separate yet related learning episodes can be integrated with one another and then used to derive new knowledge. Separate episodes are often experienced through different formats, such as text passages and graphic representations. Accordingly, in the present research, we tested integration of learning episodes provided through different presentation formats with children in the laboratory (Experiment 1; = 24; = 8.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Accumulation of semantic or factual knowledge is a major task during development. Knowledge builds through direct experience and explicit instruction as well as through productive processes that permit derivation of new understandings. In the present research, we tested the neural bases of the specific productive process of self-derivation of new factual knowledge through integration of separate yet related episodes of new learning.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Diabetes is a serious issue for African American women. The purpose of this project was to develop and test the feasibility of a culturally appropriate and faith-based healthy eating program for African American women at risk for developing diabetes. At total of 30 women from two churches completed a 12-week, faith-based program using a community-based approach with lay health educators in the church setting.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Maternal hypothyroxinemia secondary to iodine deficiency may have neurodevelopmental effects on the specific neurocognitive domain of memory. Associated disruption of thyroid hormone-dependent protein synthesis in the hippocampus has the potential to result in compromised development of the structure with consequential impairments in memory function. Despite links between maternal iodine deficiency during gestation and lactation and abnormal hippocampal development in rat fetuses and pups, there has been little research on the specific function of memory in human infants and young children born to iodine-deficient mothers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Limited evidence exists on how strength and endurance exercises commonly used to prevent low back pain affect muscle morphometry and endurance.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of 2 exercise regimens on the morphometry and endurance of key trunk musculature in a healthy population.

Design: The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to establish reference values for abdominal and lumbar multifidus muscles at rest and while contracted in a sample of active healthy adults.

Methods: Three hundred forty participants (mean age ± SD, 21.8 ± 3.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Study Design: Reliability study.

Objectives: To determine intrarater test-retest and interrater reliability of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) among novice raters.

Background: The FMS is used by various examiners to assess movement and predict time-loss injuries in diverse populations (eg, youth to professional athletes, firefighters, military service members) of active participants.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Primary prevention studies suggest that additional research on identifying risk factors predictive of low back pain (LBP) is necessary before additional interventions can be developed. In the current study we assembled a large military cohort that was initially free of LBP and followed over 2 years. The purposes of this study were to identify baseline variables from demographic, socioeconomic, general health, and psychological domains that were predictive of a) occurrence; b) time; and c) severity for first episode of self-reported LBP.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Effective strategies for the primary prevention of low back pain (LBP) remain elusive with few large-scale clinical trials investigating exercise and education approaches. The purpose of this trial was to determine whether core stabilization alone or in combination with psychosocial education prevented incidence of low back pain in comparison to traditional lumbar exercise.

Methods: The Prevention of Low Back Pain in the Military study was a cluster randomized clinical study with four intervention arms and a two-year follow-up.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Measures of endurance, flexibility, strength, and power may be of value in predicting injury risk, but application to the military setting has been limited. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and precision of lower quarter physical performance measures among novice raters.

Methods: Sixty-four (53 male, 11 female) healthy active duty Soldiers (aged 25.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the inter-rater reliability of ultrasound imaging for assessing trunk muscle morphologic characteristics at rest and while contracted among different pairs of novice raters. The secondary purpose was to compare 3 different measurement techniques for assessing lateral abdominal muscle thickness.

Methods: A single-group repeated measures reliability study was conducted on 21 healthy participants (mean ± SD, 21.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The US Army has traditionally utilized bent-knee sit-ups as part of physical training and testing. It is unknown whether the short-term effects of a core stabilization exercise program without sit-up training may result in decreased musculoskeletal injury incidence and work restriction compared with traditional training.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the short-term effects of a core stabilization exercise program (CSEP) without sit-up training and a traditional exercise program (TEP) on musculoskeletal injury incidence and work restriction.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Core stabilization exercises target abdominal and trunk muscles without the excessive loading that occurs during sit-ups. However, core stabilization exercise programs (CSEP) have not been widely adopted in the US Army partially because of the perceived deleterious impact they would have on performance during the Army Physical Fitness Test. The purpose was to determine whether performing CSEP in lieu of sit-ups during unit physical training would have detrimental effects on sit-up performance and passing rates on the fitness test.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The general population has a pessimistic view of low back pain (LBP), and evidence-based information has been used to positively influence LBP beliefs in previously reported mass media studies. However, there is a lack of randomized trials investigating whether LBP beliefs can be modified in primary prevention settings. This cluster randomized clinical trial investigated the effect of an evidence-based psychosocial educational program (PSEP) on LBP beliefs for soldiers completing military training.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: There are few effective strategies reported for the primary prevention of low back pain (LBP). Core stabilization exercises targeting the deep abdominal and trunk musculature and psychosocial education programs addressing patient beliefs and coping styles represent the current best evidence for secondary prevention of low back pain. However, these programs have not been widely tested to determine if they are effective at preventing the primary onset and/or severity of LBP.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF