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Exploring the Narratives of Two Parents of Autistic Young People Who Have Experienced Extended School Non-Attendance and Subsequently Reintegrated into an Educational Setting
Get PDFExtended School Non-Attendance (ESNA) is an interest within current research owing to the increased prevalence and recognised impact on the lives of children and young people (CYP). It is proposed that autistic CYP are more likely to experience ESNA; research highlights a range of individual, school, social and home influences that may increase the likelihood of ESNA for autistic CYP unless they are appropriately supported. This support includes quality multi-agency working where appropriate as well as collaboration with, and support for, parents/caregivers. Recent qualitative research involving parents highlights the emotional impact of their child’s ESNA as well as barriers to their child’s attendance and home-school collaboration. However, such research does not solely focus on parents of autistic CYP.
Using narrative research methods, this research explores the narratives of two parents of autistic females who experienced ESNA during secondary school before successfully reintegrating back into education. Using Narrative Orientated Inquiry (Hiles et al., 2009), and including analytical approaches proposed by Lieblich et al. (1998), the identity positions of each participant are considered, including how their identities may intertwine with their child’s during ESNA, and their overarching narratives are summarised (Holistic-Content). Categorical-Content analysis subsequently highlighted narratives suggesting a range of influences on their child’s ESNA (such as peer relationships, mental health needs, sensory needs and inappropriate and inflexible staff practice) and their subsequent reintegration to a setting (being believed, inclusive staff practice, listening to the voice of the child, a flexible timetable and support from other services). Through these stages of analysis, and Holistic-Form analysis, the emotional experiences of the participants are also illuminated. Participants spoke of their child’s distress as well as their own frustrations, worry and eventual relief. The strengths and limitations of the research, and implications for school staff and educational psychologists, are discussed
Identifying Effective Improvements to Software Safety Practice
Get PDFGood safety management means that continuous attempts are made to improve
all aspects of safety engineering practice. This includes the work required to as-
sure the safe contribution of software to acceptable system safety (software safety
practice). These improvements are often through creating interventions to per-
ceived problems with software safety practice.
Historically, improvements to software safety practice have resulted in in-
terventions which seem to have been largely ineffective. This suggests that they
may not be addressing the real impediments to good software safety practice. It
is not argued that existing tools for improving software safety practice are nec-
essarily deficient, rather that the notion of whether they are being employed to
correct the actual causes of impediments to better practice is challenged.
Software safety practice ‘As Observed’ (the actual software safety engineer-
ing activities performed) is informed by defined processes (software safety prac-
tice ‘As Required’). These processes aim to ensure practice achieves the best
safety outcomes (software safety practice ‘As Desired’). For many different and
complex reasons ‘As Observed’ software safety practice may not be equivalent
to software safety practice ‘As Required’. Similarly, software safety practice ‘As
Required’ may not be equivalent to software safety practice ‘As Desired’. Any,
or all of these discrepancies could play a significant role in poor software safety
practice. By exploring these discrepancies it becomes possible to understand the
causes of deficiencies in practice, and to start to propose effective interventions.
This thesis defines a framework and process for understanding and assess-
ing software safety practice based around modelling software safety practice ‘As
Desired’, ‘As Required’, and ‘As Observed’, and the interactions between these
elements.
The process is defined, described, instantiated and evaluated. Use of this
framework and process for understanding software safety practice is an effective
means by which an organization can identify currently existing impediments to
the achievement of software safety best practice
Exploring Resilience as a Predictor of Outcomes in Psychological Therapies
No full textRecent research suggests that tailoring therapies to individual needs can improve treatment outcomes. Understanding which patient characteristics influence outcomes is crucial in guiding clinicians towards tailoring interventions. Research reported in this thesis investigated whether an individual’s level of resilience (their ability to bounce back from difficulties) before therapy is linked to their recovery afterwards.
Section one presents a systematic review of 19 studies assessing the association between pre-treatment resilience and therapy outcomes. Two meta-analyses were conducted to estimate the overall association. The first meta-analysis indicated that higher resilience was associated with better outcomes. However, a second meta-analysis that considered how severe people's symptoms were at the start of therapy found no clear link between resilience and outcomes. This discrepancy may be attributed to the small number of studies in the second analysis, or suggest that the resilience-outcome relationship partially depends on baseline symptom severity. Importantly, the evidence from these meta-analyses is of very low certainty and must therefore be interpreted with caution. Further research is required to clarify these associations.
Section two presents a secondary analysis of data from a randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy and person-centred experiential therapy for depression. The study investigated whether pre-treatment resilience predicted treatment outcomes in these therapies. Items from the resilience questionnaire (CD-RISC-25) used in the trial were pared down to increase sensitivity to the phenomenon. Results indicated that participants with higher resilience before therapy had better outcomes immediately after treatment when considering the full group who entered the trial (including those who did not complete therapy). However, resilience did not predict outcomes for participants who received a minimum dose of therapy. Overall, findings suggest resilience might influence the likelihood of participants engaging with therapy. Resilience did not predict 12-month outcomes. Further research is needed to better understand these associations
The Experiences, Impact and Support for Volunteering in the Care of Individuals with Mental Health Difficulties
No full textTrauma, bipolar disorder and at-risk presentations: Exploring pathways that influence clinical outcomes
Get PDFThe relationship between trauma and bipolar disorder (BD) is well-established.
However, mechanisms that might explain this association remain unclear. The first
chapter involved a systematic review exploring psychological mediators between
early trauma and BD-related outcomes.
Searches on three databases led to the inclusion of twenty studies. Study quality
varied, and different approaches to analyses and outcomes meant that the findings
could not be directly compared, impacting the strength of the conclusions that can be
made.
The mediators fell into five categories: affective processes, cognitive processes,
interpersonal factors, personality-related variables and behavioural risk factors.
Outcomes included course/ severity, suicidality, comorbidities, dissociation, and
resilience. Consistent mediators included emotional dysregulation and attachment
patterns. Depressive symptoms were most frequently studied, with less focus on
manic symptoms. Future research should explore mediators affecting mania and
work towards similar methodological approaches so true mediation effects can be
understood.
The second chapter, an empirical study, looked at individuals at risk of developing
BD (BAR) compared to a non-clinical group on experiences of trauma, post-
traumatic stress disorder and sleep difficulties. 140 people participated, 64 were in
the non-clinical group and 76 were in the BAR group. The BAR group had taken part in a previous study looking at a new therapy and were happy for their information to be used in this study. Participants had a clinical interview with researchers to understand experiences of trauma and completed questionnaires looking at sleep difficulties and mood states. Number of traumas and rates of PTSD were higher in the BAR group, as were sleep difficulties. The BAR group also had higher levels of depressive symptoms. Having PTSD did not impact on levels of depression, manic symptoms or sleep difficulties for the BAR group. Research with bigger samples and longer follow-up periods would help us better understand this group and target support
Structural, Optical and Electrical Properties of Co-Doped NiO Thin Films Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy for Optoelectronic Applications
No full textNickel oxide (NiO) is an attractive material for hole transporting layer (HTL) applications in optoelectronics due to its wide bandgap and robust chemical stability. This thesis presents a systematic investigation into the growth and characterisation of single-crystal NiO and Co doped NiO thin films, fabricated via MBE on both single-crystal MgO and flexible ITO-coated PET substrates. This work represents the first comprehensive study of Co doped NiO thin films grown by MBE, providing new insights into the impact of Co incorporation on their structural, optical, and electronic properties, with particular emphasis on their suitability as HTL materials. The research is divided into three core parts. The first examines Ni1-xCoxO thin films with Co concentrations ranging from 0 to 0.6 at.%. XRD confirms high crystalline quality with a systematic peak shift towards lower angles as Co content increases, indicating lattice expansion. XPS and TEM analyses demonstrate that Co2+ ions successfully substitute Ni2+ within the NiO lattice without inducing secondary phases, preserving structural integrity. UV-Vis absorption measurements show a progressive redshift of the absorption edge with higher Co levels, correlating with a reduced bandgap. PL studies reveal suppressed recombination rates with increasing Co content, suggesting that Co doping favourably modifies the optical and electronic behaviour, hence enhancing HTL performance. The second part extends this study to higher Co doping levels (x=12-32 at.%) to explore the structural and optoelectronic evolution at elevated dopant concentrations. XRD and TEM confirm that the single-crystal structure remains intact, with no evidence of secondary phase formation, as further supported by XPS results. A consistent bandgap narrowing is observed as Co content increases, while PL intensity diminishes significantly at high doping levels, indicating enhanced non-radiative recombination that can affect carrier dynamics. These findings deepen the understanding of the structure-property relationship in highly Co doped NiO films and their practical implications for device integration. The final part investigates the influence of film thickness on the properties of single-crystal NiO deposited on flexible ITO-coated PET substrates for advanced optoelectronic applications. SEM and AFM reveal improved surface uniformity and continuity with increasing film thickness, which is crucial for efficient absorber layer coverage and charge carrier transport. A slight reduction in bandgap from 3.96 eV (10 nm) to 3.91 eV (40 nm) is observed, alongside enhanced PL peak intensity at an optimal thickness of 30 nm, indicating reduced non-radiative recombination. This optimised configuration demonstrates significant potential for high-performance, flexible HTLs in next- generation solar cells
Impact of Perceptual Training on Comprehensibility in Spontaneous Speech
Get PDFThe ultimate goal of learning to speak a foreign language is to be understood that is, to achieve comprehensibility (Derwing & Munro, 2015). There is strong evidence that training focused on the pronunciation of individual sounds, such as High Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT), improves learners’ ability to identify individual phonemes (Logan et al., 1991; Bradlow et al., 1997) and produce more intelligible speech at the word and sentence level (Thomson, 2011; Iino, 2019). Recent research also suggests potential gains in comprehensibility, though primarily in semi-controlled tasks, leaving it unclear whether such training benefits extend to spontaneous speech, issues that have rarely been examined through delayed testing.
This study investigated the impact of HVPT on perception, intelligibility, and comprehensibility in spontaneous oral production among Chinese learners of English with a focus on high functional load phonemic contrasts. It explored whether improved perception would transfer to word-level intelligibility and, ultimately, to greater comprehensibility in free oral production. A secondary aim was to assess the durability of these gains through delayed testing. HVPT was delivered entirely online, reflecting real-world learning contexts.
Fifty-one adult Mandarin speakers of English completed 15 HVPT lessons over three weeks. A pre-, post-, and delayed post-test design assessed perception via identification tasks, intelligibility through a read-aloud task, and comprehensibility via both semi-controlled and spontaneous speech. Results showed significant and sustained improvements in phonemic perception. Intelligibility gains were modest and varied by phoneme, while comprehensibility improved notably in the spontaneous narrative task, but only at delayed post-test. These patterns suggest a time-dependent transfer from perception to production.
Overall, the findings highlight HVPT’s potential to support long-term L2 speech development. Gains in perception can cascade into improvements in intelligibility and comprehensibility, particularly when diverse speaking tasks and delayed assessments are used. The study underscores the value of integrating spontaneous speech and longitudinal evaluation into pronunciation research and pedagogy
Grapes, grains and genomes: The archaeogenetics of fermented beverages
No full textThe extraction and sequencing of DNA from artefacts and archaeobotanical remains have revolutionised the study of past diet and agricultural practices. Beyond reconstructing extinct genomes, ancient DNA provides insight into microbial communities, cultivation techniques and genetic networks in antiquity. This dissertation comprises three research studies on distinct materials: yeast rings, fermentation barrels and archaeological grape seeds, where I applied metagenomics and population genomics analyses to investigate traditional fermentation, viticulture and winemaking. After introducing the broad themes on ancient DNA, beer brewing, viticulture and winemaking in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 explores Norwegian farmhouse brewing through metagenomic analysis in historical yeast rings and fermentation barrels. This study highlights the potential of biomolecular research in reconstructing historical brewing methods and preserving microbial heritage. Chapter 3 examines ancient viticulture at Cetamura del Chianti, Italy, combining aDNA analysis with morphometrics, spectroscopy and radiocarbon dating to trace grape cultivation from the Etruscan to Roman periods. Limited genetic connections to modern varieties suggest many ancient cultivars may be extinct. In contrast, analysis of Roman-era grape seeds from Barbir harbour, Croatia, in Chapter 4 demonstrates extensive trade networks with genetic links to modern grape varieties.
Overall, this thesis highlights ancient DNA analysis as a powerful tool in understanding past fermentation and agricultural practices. By bridging archaeology, microbiology, and cultural heritage perspectives, it provides new insights into the persistence and evolution of fermentation traditions, offering both historical and commercial implications for brewing and viticulture today
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