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Comparing research attitudes in Down syndrome and non‐Down syndrome research decision‐makers
INTRODUCTION Recruitment challenges in people with and without Down syndrome (DS) can delay research progress and risk sample bias. This study identified and quantified differences in research attitudes across populations of research enrollment decision‐makers for individuals with and without DS. METHODS We performed analyses using data from two registries: the University of California, Irvine Consent‐to‐Contact (C2C) Registry and DS‐Connect. The former represented a sample of non‐DS decision‐makers (N = 4818), while for the latter, we excluded individuals with DS, leaving a population of DS family decision‐makers (N = 976). We assessed scores on the Research Attitudes Questionnaire (RAQ) between DS and non‐DS decision‐makers. We compared total RAQ scores using linear regression and assessed item‐level RAQ differences using proportional odds regression. RESULTS Mean total RAQ scores were not statistically different between decision‐makers in the two registries, after adjusting for age, sex, race and ethnicity, education, and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) time frame (Est. Diff = 0.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: ‐0.22, 0.43; p = 0.531). However, in a pre‐specified analysis, we did find evidence of differential attitudes on item‐level RAQ scores. Specifically, decision‐makers for participants with DS had increased odds of a more favorable response to the question of responsibility to help others (DS vs. non‐DS: odds ratio [OR] = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.48) and decreased odds of a more favorable response to the question regarding the belief that medical research would find cures for major diseases during their lifetime (DS vs. non‐DS: OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.90). DISCUSSION Our findings provide insights for researchers to develop strategies for recruiting individuals with and without DS into clinical research. The observed item‐level differences warrant further investigation to instruct precise recruitment strategies. Highlights Research attitudes between decision‐makers for individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and decision‐makers without DS were observed to be similar on average. Item‐level differences in research attitudes were observed to differ for DS and non‐DS decision‐makers. These results can help facilitate precise recruitment strategies for populations with DS.
Journal Article
Critical perspectives on user involvement
This topical reader provides a critical stock take of the state of user involvement and will be an important resource for students studying health and social care and social work researchers and user activists.
Book
The experiences, attitudes and understanding of research amongst medical students at an Australian medical school
Background
Research engagement plays an integral role in developing clinicians that practice effective, evidence-based medicine. Research participation by clinicians, however, is declining. Given the link between research during medical school and future research output, promotion of medical student research is one avenue by which this shortage can be addressed. Student research attitudes and participation in Australia are not well-documented in the literature. This study therefore aims to investigate research practices, motivators, and barriers amongst Australian medical students in order to determine whether there is a need for further integration of research within Australian medical school curriculums.
Methods
A cross-sectional study design was used to explore research experience and attitudes, as well as the enablers and barriers to research amongst students enrolled in all years of the five-year medical course at Monash University. A questionnaire was created by combining questions from several surveys on medical student research and comprised Likert scales, multiple choice options and free-text responses assessing research experience, attitudes, motivators, and barriers.
Results
Seven hundred and four respondents (69.4% female; survey response rate 36.7%) reported variable research experience and interest. Less than half of the cohort (
n
= 296; 44.9%) had contributed to a research project. Increasing employability for specialty training programs was the primary motivating factor (
n
= 345; 51.9%) for pursuing research, with only 20.5% (
n
= 136) citing an interest in academia as a motivator. Time constraints (
n
= 460; 65.3%) and uncertainty surrounding how to find research opportunities (
n
= 449; 63.8%) were the most common barriers to research.
Conclusions
Medical students at Monash University are interested in but have limited experience with research. Students are, however, primarily motivated by the prospect of increasing employability for specialist training; medical schools should therefore focus on encouraging intrinsic motivation for pursuing research. Greater integration of research education and opportunities within medical school curricula may also be required to provide students with the skills necessary to both pursue research and practice evidence-based medicine.
Journal Article
Perceptions, attitudes, and barriers to research engagement among general medicine undergraduates in a tertiary hospital in Guangdong, China
Background
Research is a critical component of medical education, fostering critical thinking and evidence-based practice. However, in China, particularly in the context of general practice, undergraduate medical students often face significant barriers to engaging in research. This study aims to assess the perception, attitude, and practice toward research among undergraduate medical students in a tertiary hospital in Guangdong, China, and to identify the barriers they face.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 90 undergraduate medical students from a tertiary hospital in Guangdong, China, from May to June 2024. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on students’ perception, attitudes, practices, and perceived barriers toward research.
Results
The majority of students (46.6%) expressed a strong desire to pursue postgraduate studies, while only 25.5% showed a strong interest in participating in research. Key barriers included lack of time (65.5%), insufficient research guidance (56.6%), and limited access to resources (47.8%). Students’ self-assessment of their research abilities was generally low, with only 9.5% feeling confident in their ability to handle data. Positive correlations were found between access to research guidance and interest in scientific literature (
r
= 0.62,
P
< 0.001).
Conclusion
This study identifies key areas for improving research training among undergraduate medical students, particularly in general practice programs. It suggests that standardized curricula, enhanced mentorship, and hospital-university research platforms may help address existing gaps. Given the study’s limited sample and setting, further research is needed to confirm these findings in broader contexts.
Clinical trial number
Not applicable.
Journal Article
Attitudes of health students towards scientific research: a comparative analysis of medical and nursing students
Background
Scientific research underpins advances in healthcare and evidence-based practice. However, attitudes toward scientific research may differ across health professions, and discipline-comparative evidence remains limited within specific institutional contexts.
Design
Quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive-comparative study.
Methods
The study included 1,163 undergraduate students (275 nursing; 888 medical) at Atatürk University. Data were collected using a demographic form and the Scientific Research Attitude Scale (SRAS). Because SRAS subscales have opposite directionality (two negative, two positive), analyses were conducted at the subscale level and no total score was computed. Between-group differences were examined using independent-samples t-tests/ANOVA with assumption checks and effect-size reporting. Hierarchical multiple linear regression models were specified for each SRAS subscale to control for potential confounding (Block 1: faculty; Block 2: prior research-course exposures; Block 3: research engagement variables). Ethical approval was obtained, and informed consent was secured from all participants.
Results
Medical students scored higher on the positive SRAS subscales (PATSR, PATR) than nursing students (small effect sizes). In adjusted models, research engagement (conducting research, taking a research methods course, and following scientific studies) was consistently associated with higher positive-attitude subscale scores, whereas explained variance was minimal for negative-attitude domains (R² ≤ .017).
Conclusions
Differences in positive research attitudes between medicine and nursing appear to reflect curricular exposure and engagement opportunities more than discipline alone. Strengthening structured, mentored research engagement in undergraduate curricula may improve positive attitudes toward scientific research.
Journal Article
People’s Attitudes Towards the Use of Robots in the Social Services: A Multilevel Analysis Using Eurobarometer Data
Robots have been employed in the industrial sectors for over half a century; however, their appearance in the domestic sphere is a modern phenomenon, occurring in just the last decade. These so-called social robots are carrying out a variety of tasks traditionally carried out by humans, and in contexts in which they must interact with human beings. These kinds of social robots are now being used in the welfare services, providing assistive services and companionship for the infirm or elderly, and even children. Thus, the use of social robots in everyday life has triggered an animated debate about the acceptance of these devices by their end users. In this paper, multilevel analysis is applied using data from the Eurobarometer survey (sample size 27,901, covering 28 countries) to investigate how socio-demographic characteristics and country-level indicators of technological and economic development (the rate of high-technology manufactured exports, the cellular phone subscriptions rate and GDP) influence how robots are accepted in the realm of the social services. The results show that only individual (socio-demographic) and technology acceptance model (TAM) factors influence attitudes towards social robots. The effects of the contextual variables considered were not statistically strong enough to explain the attitudes towards social robots for social services.
Journal Article
An investigative study on enhancing the competence of medical students via participation in extracurricular research activities
Background
As medical education evolves from traditional knowledge dissemination to evidence-based practice, problem-solving, and lifelong learning, developing research literacy among students has become essential. This study investigates medical undergraduates’ research participation, challenges encountered, and attitudes toward research, aiming to inform curricular reforms that foster research-competent healthcare professionals.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted using stratified random sampling to recruit full-time undergraduates across majors and academic years at Guangzhou Medical University (GMU). A validated self-administered questionnaire assessing extracurricular research engagement was distributed, yielding 410 valid responses. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0, with descriptive statistics and correlation tests applied.
Results
Students predominantly identified mentors through proactive engagement (55.1%) and faculty referral (42.4%), yet mentoring was infrequent, with only 35.6% receiving guidance biweekly. Significant discrepancies were reported between expected and actual guidance in topic selection, study design and data analysis. While 80.7% expressed satisfaction with institutional research training systems, demand for practical courses, particularly academic writing (64.4%) and clinical case discussions (58.8%), remained high. Self-evaluation indicated post-training improvements in statistical analysis and writing skills. Ranking of laboratory abilities showed strengths in experimental design and operational skills, with lower scores in aseptic techniques and normative laboratory habits.
Conclusions
Students' positive attitudes toward research reflect the effectiveness of recent educational reforms. However, disparities in participation linked to academic progression and program structure highlight systemic inequities in resource allocation. To address these gaps, we recommend prioritizing mentor training, enhancing time management, expanding funding opportunities, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. Implementing structured mentor-student pairing systems may further enhance equitable access to research experiences.
Journal Article
Research attitudes in families of individuals with Down syndrome: importance for clinical trials
Background
Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) are increasingly eligible for clinical trial intervention, particularly for the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer disease (AD). Yet, little is known about research attitudes that may contribute to decisions regarding clinical trial enrollment for people with DS, a gap which is addressed in the current study.
Methods
The
Research Attitudes Questionnaire
(RAQ) is a brief validated instrument that measures cultural and social factors which influence clinical trial enrollment decisions in the general population. Applied herein to a cohort of 1002 families who have an individual with DS, this survey was carried out through a national registry (
DS-Connect
). In addition to the RAQ, demographic data were collected.
Results
The response rate to the survey was 49.9%. Respondents were asked to complete demographic information and to respond to the 7 question RAQ. The scores were stratified by a cut point assigned a priori into those more favorable toward research participation vs. those less favorably inclined. Within this sample, nearly 95% self-identified as the primary caretaker for the individual with DS. The RAQ score analyses generally indicated favorable respondent views toward research with particularly high favorability ratings from respondents who had previously participated in research and from those who were older (
P
= .01 to .001).
Conclusions
This is one of the first formal studies to evaluate research attitudes among relatives of individuals with DS and shows the feasibility of using this approach to answer important questions that will guide trialists developing treatments for AD in DS
.
Future research will require broadening the racial and ethnic mix of respondents and the role that a standardized assessment of research attitudes will have for clinical trial participation.
Journal Article
Research attitudes among pre-service teachers: unexpected outcomes emerging from a natural experiment
PurposeThe study assesses pre-service teachers' attitudes, confidence in research and intentions to use research by comparing the effectiveness of practical versus theoretical training in research methods courses.Design/methodology/approachThis natural experiment examines the impact of the adaptations made to a research methods course for 848 pre-service teachers, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were naturally divided into two cohorts, each attending either the applied version, which required the completion of a whole research study, or the theoretical version, which did not require data collection and analyses. The data were collected through three questionnaires measuring attitudes, confidence and intentions toward research.FindingsInferential statistics revealed that pre-service teachers in the theoretical course (1) had more positive attitudes toward research and less anxiety, (2) had more intentions to integrate research in their daily practice and (3) had more confidence in engaging in educational research, compared to the pre-service teachers who completed the applied version of the course.Originality/valueThis study uniquely capitalizes on course adaptations, imposed due to the pandemic, to compare attitudes toward research. This is an ideal comparison because comparing attitudes of participants from different contexts involves many confounding variables. The study’s significance is amplified as, it not only elucidates the variances in attitudes, but also underscores the intricate relationship these attitudes share with the design of research courses. The insights yielded by this study offer substantial potential for reshaping pedagogical strategies in research methods instruction, thereby serving as a cornerstone for future educational innovations.
Journal Article