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Incorporating spirituality into occupational therapy practice: A Scoping Review
Full text linkBackground: Spirituality is increasingly recognised as a vital component of health and well-being yet, there is a lack of clarity about how it is implemented in occupational therapy practice. This scoping review aimed to synthesise evidence on how spirituality is incorporated into occupational therapy practice and barriers and facilitators influencing this processMethod: Guided by the PRISMA-SCR PubMed, EBSCOhost, Scopus and Web of Sciences were searched for studies published in English from 2007 to 2024 that reported on ways which spirituality was incorporated into occupational therapy practice. Two reviewers independently screened all retrieved studies. data were exxtreacted and analysed descriptively.Results: Of the 385 identified studies, 10 met the inclusion criteria. Spirituality was incorporated into occupational therapy practice through steps of the occupationalo therapy process (evaluation, intervention) and therapeutic use of self. Barriers included therapists' limited knowledge, cultural sensitivity conceerns, and systemic contrainsts, while faciitators included therapist agency and service-user receptivity.Conclusion: Despite the barriers highlighted in the review, occupational therapists incorporate spirituality into practice mainly through the occupational therapy process. There are significant inconsistencies in addressing spiriitual needs throughout the process, with no studies reporting outcomes. Research on how occupational therapists integrate spirituality in practice remains limited.Implications for practice: This study identified two keyways in which occupational therapists incorporate spirituality into their practice: through the occupational therapy process and the therapeutic use of self. These findings represent a significant step toward deepening the exploration of spirituality within occupational therapy practice and research. In the African context where spirituality is often deeply embedded in cultural, social, and personal life this study offers a strong foundation for advancing both practice and scholarship in this area. Moreover, the study clearly illuminates the barriers and facilitators to integrating spirituality in contemporary occupational therapy. The identification of these factors at individual, organisational, and systemic levels assert the need for context-sensitive strategies to support meaningful integration. The review reported the lack of research from the African region, and this highlights the importance of further research that is culturally aligned with African worldviews, spiritual traditions and practice settings or systems
Learning to care in the food system: Education for sustainable development resources, food education and the farming of animals for food
Full text linkDespite calls for curricula to be repurposed around environmental concerns, and the related significance of food-related emissions to global climate change, consideration of the wider impacts of the global food system (positive and negative) are frequently not well-integrated into education of 5–11-year-olds. This paper makes an important contribution to nascent research around the nature and role of learning resources for education for sustainable development, providing the first review of the place of animals in learning resources for food education. The 117 resources we drew on focused on those that were freely-available, directed at ages 5–11, and available to support those implementing the Curriculum for Wales. We reflect on the implications of these findings for the design of future learning resources, focusing specifically on how they could incorporate ideas from literature on more-than-human ethics of care and, through this, how they might prompt not only critical reflection but meaningful actions and engagement amongst learners
“My body is in the way”: A phenomenological exploration of nonbinary people’s experiences of their bodies
No full textThere is an emerging literature on nonbinary people’s experiences of and feelings about their bodies and bodily adornment; this literature is part of an important move to address the erasure of nonbinary people’s lived experiences from psychological research on gender/sex through the dominance of a binary lens. The current study contributes to this emerging literature by providing a phenomenological exploration of 112 nonbinary people’s everyday relationships with and feelings about their bodies. Participants were recruited through trans and nonbinary social media forums. A multi-method qualitative design provided both breadth and depth: 105 participants responded to an online qualitative survey; a smaller group completed solicited diaries (n=11) and 9 of these asynchronous email interviews. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we constructed three themes: “Betrayed by the story it tells others about who I am”; “It’s not the kind of ship I want to pilot”; and “My body is my canvas for self-expression”. Overall, these themes highlight the way in which embodying a nonbinary gendered identity can be both a fraught experience of betrayal, alienation, compromise and ambivalence and an uplifting one of individualised self-expression, pride and resistance to an oppressive binary norm. The implications of these findings are discussed
Fungal biohybrid substrates for resilient sensing and embodied anomaly detection
Full text linkModern infrastructure and environmental systems increasingly operate under disruption, uncertainty, and partial failure. This manuscript explores the living fungal mycelium as a biohybrid substrate for resilient sensing and embodied anomaly detection. Rather than framing fungi as conventional security devices, we position them as distributed adaptive materials that integrate sensing, signalling, structural response, and persistence within a single living network. We synthesise electrophysiological, materials-science, and unconventional computation perspectives to articulate how fungal systems support graceful degradation, baseline formation, and long-duration monitoring. We propose explicit, falsifiable hypotheses regarding disturbance detection, persistence under damage, and embodied memory, and outline a lean experimental roadmap for laboratory validation. Fungal biohybrid substrates do not replace digital systems; they complement them by failing differently, operating with minimal energy, and embedding sensing directly within material structure
Racial discrimination and body appreciation: Testing direct, and, via coping strategies, indirect links in racialised minority adults from the United Kingdom
No full textRacial discrimination is associated with adverse health outcomes, including negative body image, but less is known about the extent to which racial discrimination is associated with positive body image. The aim of this preregistered study was to test the association between racial discrimination and body appreciation (i.e., a facet of positive body image) and to explore whether different coping strategies mediated any direct relationship. An online sample of racialised minority adults living in the United Kingdom (N = 576) were asked to complete the Everyday Discrimination Scale, Body Appreciation Scale-2, and the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced inventory. Preliminary linear modelling showed that seeking emotional social support, positive reinterpretation and growth, turning to religion, and focusing on and venting of emotions were significantly associated with body appreciation. However, findings from subsequent path analysis indicated that racial discrimination was not directly associated with body appreciation. In men only, the direct relationship between racial discrimination and body appreciation was mediated by focus on and venting of emotions. These findings suggest that experiences of racial discrimination may not be associated with positive body image outcomes, at least in racialised minority adults from the United Kingdom. We discuss possible reasons for this, as well as the generally null mediating effects
Co-developing a culturally responsive, theory-informed dyadic mind-body intervention to improve sleep and wellbeing in people with dementia and their caregivers in the UK
No full textHighlights What are the main findings? • A culturally grounded, theory-informed dyadic mind-body intervention was successfully co-developed with people with dementia, caregivers, and diverse community stakeholders, demonstrating high cultural resonance, acceptability, and feasibility. • Behavioural analysis identified key determinants of engagement-such as cogni-tive load, cultural meaning, dyadic support, and practical barriers-which guided the selection of effective behaviour change techniques integrated into the final 8-week programme. What are the implications of the main findings? • The development work provides a strong foundation for conducting a feasibility trial to evaluate implementation, acceptability, and preliminary effects on sleep, caregiver wellbeing, and dyadic coping across diverse communities. • The structured, culturally responsive co-design process offers a replicable model for developing future non-pharmacological interventions in dementia care, particularly where cultural adaptation and dyadic approaches are essential. Abstract Background: Sleep disturbances are common in dementia and adversely affect both the person with dementia and their caregiver. Non-pharmacological options exist but are seldom dyadic or culturally tailored, limiting their reach and relevance across diverse communities. Objective: We aimed to co-develop DREAM (Dyadic Resilience, Engagement , Awareness & Mind-body intervention)-an 8-week dyadic mind-body programme (mindfulness + gentle Tai Chi) for improving sleep and wellbeing in people with demen-tia and their caregivers. Methods: The process was informed by Intervention Mapping (Stages 1-4) and underpinned by established behaviour change frameworks, including the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW), the COMB model (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation → Behaviour), and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), to systematically identify determinants of engagement. Co-design involved dementia-caregiver dyads, Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) contributors, clinicians, mind-body practitioners, and community stakeholders. Results: The intervention was co-developed and culturally grounded through engagement with White British, Caribbean, Chinese, and South Asian Healthcare 2026, 14, 383 https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14030383 Healthcare 2026, 14, 383 2 of 20 communities. Participants reported high cultural resonance, endorsing DREAM's concise practices, caregiver-supported home routines, and delivery in trusted community venues. Behavioural insights highlighted the importance of motivational framing (perceived dyadic benefits, cultural meaning), practical enablement (simplified guidance, prompts/cues, environmental restructuring), and caregiver facilitation to support adherence. Conclusions: DREAM demonstrates the practicability of using Intervention Mapping to co-develop a culturally responsive, theory-informed dyadic mind-body intervention for people with dementia and their caregivers. This groundwork supports progression to a feasibility trial focused on implementation processes and preliminary sleep and wellbeing outcomes
Hybrid process-based and deep learning for river nutrient prediction under limited monitoring data
No full textAccurate simulation of riverine nutrient dynamics remains challenging in catchments with limited monitoring data, where both process-based models (PBMs) and data-driven approaches face constraints. This study investigates hybrid modelling strategies that combine PBM simulations with long short-term memory (LSTM) networks to predict nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations at the outlet of Salmons Brook catchment, London, UK. We designed two scenario sets to evaluate (i) the role of extreme weather indices as input features and (ii) the value of integrating different outputs from the Water Systems Integrated Modelling framework (WSIMOD) into LSTM architectures. Results show that the selected hybrid PBM-LSTM models outperformed both empirical LSTM and standalone WSIMOD simulations. For phosphorus, incorporating extreme weather indices improved performance, reflecting its sensitivity to high air temperatures and intense precipitation, while nitrogen predictions degraded, suggesting that memory from past water quality observations carries more predictive value. Comparisons between hybrid designs further indicate that simulated pre-river nutrient loads provide stronger constraints for LSTM models than in-river nutrient processes. These findings emphasize the need for nutrient-specific observational inputs in LSTM frameworks and demonstrate that PBM-LSTM hybridization offers a promising pathway for improving predictions relative to standalone LSTM or PBM simulations. Moreover, the comparative performance of different modelling configurations offers insights into the types of signals LSTM networks retain or discard, thereby contributing to the interpretability of DL applications in river water quality prediction
Continuous, self-driven liquid fertilizer extraction from human urine using microbial fuel cells for circular economy: Catholyte characterization
No full textThis work presents the development of urine filtration microbial fuel cells, converting urine into a purified catholyte in which key macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) are recovered, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) is removed, with energy being continuously produced in the electrofiltration process. In this study, electrofiltrating-MFC (EF-MFC) bioreactors using ceramic-based membranes were assembled to oxidize urine and generate an electric current, which facilitated the movement of cationic species and water toward the cathode. As a result, a flux of purified cathodic filtrate was achieved at a 9.5 higher rate than the control, while the organic content was removed. The reactor design enabled continuous electropumping of the newly formed catholyte throughout the experiment. In addition, NPK were also recovered in the cathodic filtrate, thus demonstrating the electrofiltration capacity of the ceramic bioreactors. This work exploited pH and ion splitting mechanisms that were directly related to the electric field generated by the EF-MFC system and to study electro-osmotic drag as a continuous electropumping mechanism responsible for sustained extraction of water/nutrients from urine. Furthermore, the free chlorine detected in the catholyte produced may contribute to the quality and disinfection (safety) of the purified biofertilizer. The proposed technology allows for the additional oxidation of the organic fraction in urine on the cathode side of the half-cell while retaining a high proportion of all other key macronutrients for potential reuse as a liquid fertilizer as a byproduct of stable electrical current production in the process
Professional enablers: Inside the line between advice and offence
No full textThis guide explores how professional enablers become embedded in financial crime, often gradually and unintentionally, and what can be done to disrupt that trajectory. The learnings are taken from Tenet Law’s ‘At the Coalface’ webinar series, featuring guest Jonathan Gilbert, a former practising solicitor who was struck off for his facilitating role in a multimillion pound mortgage and bank fraud.Jonathan shared a personal and honest account of how advisory roles can slide into enabling fraud, the ethical compromises that normalise risk, and the personal and professional consequences that follow. He reflected on the investigation and imprisonment, and how those experiences now inform his work as an international educator and consultant in financial crime prevention.The key learnings address prevention, governance, and accountability through the realities of pressure, culture, and decision making, with the aim of helping firms recognise risk earlier and respond more effectively when it arises
Transitioning to smart circular construction: A conceptual framework for circular economy implementation through construction 4.0 technologies
No full textThe integration of Construction 4.0 technologies, such as digital technologies, with circular economy (CE) concepts, offers significant potential to advance smart circular construction (SCC). Yet, the literature lacks a cohesive understanding of the measurable, value-driven outcomes, termed smart circular values, that can guide SCC’s systemic adoption. This study addresses this gap by developing a conceptual framework for strategically deploying Construction 4.0 technologies to enhance material circularity in the construction sector, grounded in the human-centric, resilient, and sustainable principles of Industry 5.0. A systematic literature review of 96 peer-reviewed articles was conducted to map interdependencies between Construction 4.0 technologies and CE concepts. Using a novel operationalisation technique, the direct clustering algorithm, technologies were grouped according to their support for CE concepts, revealing five distinct smart circular values: smart energy management, smart construction methods, smart resource optimisation, smart tracking and tracing, and smart waste management. These values form the foundation for defining SCC and reveal distinct, technology-enabled pathways for its realisation. Potential adverse impacts of adopting Construction 4.0 technologies were also identified to guide implementation strategies and inform assessments of the net benefits of SCC adoption. Overall, the framework outlines key adoption priorities, highlights pressing challenges, and emphasises the importance of organisation-level assessments to accelerate progress toward a more circular built environment