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An exploration of meaning and wellbeing benefits from poetry within global majority LGBTQ+ people
No full textSection A
This review explored how poetry and storytelling might impact and illustrate wellbeing and healing at the intersection of race, gender and sexuality. Through exploring poetry and narratives, it examined potential benefits of poetry and sharing narratives of LGBTQ+ People of the global majority (PoGM). In this review, the term LGBTQ+ is used for consistency, with the “+” limited to identities explicitly represented in the six included papers (e.g. Two-spirit and non-binary identities and others identifying as being non-heterosexual, non-cisgender, or both).
Six empirical papers were retrieved through systematic narrative review using the following databases: PubMed, ASSIA, Web of Science, APA Psynet, Ovid and Open Dissertations. Thematic analysis was used, and six main themes and 14 subthemes were identified.
Poetry and storytelling were found to amplify voices and improve relationships between services and PoGM LGBTQ+ individuals. Poetry appeared to play a transformative role in fostering self-acceptance, building awareness, healing and united solidarity, whereas co-creation between participants and researchers resulted in a better understanding of lived marginalised experiences. Individual understanding of LGBTQ+ identities was an identified need, additionally within religious spaces and the complexities of negotiating these. LGBTQ+ individuals proposed poetry as beneficial for support groups, stimulating understanding of issues of gender, sexual orientation, and challenging oppressive narratives.
Results suggested that amplifying LGBTQ+ PoGM voices through poetry and narratives may create more nuanced and accessible ways of generating inclusive research and service improvement while reducing mistrust, improving their overall wellbeing.
Section B
Research concerning the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) community has predominately centred on distress and an exploration of White participant narratives. This study explored the perceived meaning and therapeutic impact of poetry for LGBTQI+ (where the “+” signifies non-binary, fluid and pansexual identities) PoGM (people of the global majority) in the UK.
Reflexive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006, 2024) using a combination of inductive and deductive approaches was used to analyse data from 18 interviews, culminating in the identification of 21 subthemes across the five tasks of the EFECT (Engaging, Feeling, Exploring, Connecting and transferring) model (Alfrey et al., 2021).
Findings suggest that poetry plays a crucial role as a creative and therapeutic tool for LGBTQI+ PoGM, offering an important avenue for emotional processing, self-expression and collective unification. Moreover, the study offered empirical support for the existing theoretical model describing the mechanisms of poetry therapy (the EFECT model), whilst also highlighting the models’ utility and affording the opportunity for the emergence of salient themes, which, upon analysis, displayed a notable consistency with the Minority Stress Model (Meyer, 2003), especially pertaining to the distinctive stressors experienced by LGBTQ+ PoGM
Charting the hermeneutical turn, its impact on religious education curricula and developing principles for pedagogy
No full textThis article develops a Catholic tradition educational understanding to religious education (RE) classrooms through the application of hermeneutical approaches to sacred texts. This is part of a historic intellectual clarification in how the Church expresses the relationship between reason and faith, identifying disciplinary methods of meaning that contribute to faith and understanding. These methods constitute an integration of disciplinary knowledge practices and personal-spiritual dimensions from the field of Biblical hermeneutics, into RE pedagogy and didactics. A hermeneutical turn in education is responding to critiques that traditional RE approaches to text engagement were detached from the natal (inherent and disciplinary) ways of knowing embedded in the subject and tradition. Sacred text traditions have long emphasized personal engagement, and 20th-century developments in Catholic Biblical interpretation, for example, reshaped academic methods of scripture study. This article originally argues that such shifts have now influenced early 21st-century school curriculum developments, particularly in Catholic education in England and Wales. The turn now incudes changes in the guidance on handling Biblical texts in RE. Reporting this trajectory of change, the article next sets out principles from scholarly and personal hermeneutics to inform a more authentic, natal and subject-aligned approach to sacred text education in schools to further a spiritual understanding in education
ALT South: Mind-metaphors for co-intelligence and collaboration with GenAI for teaching and learning
No full textDr Manish Malik from Canterbury Christ Church University and Chair of the ALT South Group will lead the ALT South #TechThursday event on Thursday 30 January. He will present the results from an evaluation of a GenAI literacy session grounded in viewing GenAI as a “mind” (albeit without emotions and consciousness) and a tool in your hands at the same time (bit of balance is good here). The research identified metaphors such as mind-surfing, mind-mending, mind-bending, when using the tool in a specific or unexpected way
Entangled adaptations: Gretel, redesigned
No full textIn July 2022, I sat down with seven female secondary school students and a colleague from my department to think about a character named Gretel and to play a writing game that I had created especially: Gretel, Redesigned (Holdstock, 2022). In a classroom on the first floor of CentreTown Academy, the school where I worked as a teacher of English, we sat, we talked, and for a short while, we wrote
Shaping the future of metaverse research
No full textJournal of Metaverse has emerged as a global interdisciplinary platform in 2021 for research on the Metaverse, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence, and Blockchain. In a short period, it has attracted contributions from internationally renowned scholars, further solidifying its academic influence. This article aims to critically examine the journal’s trajectory, its publication output over a defined period, and its editorial commitments. We outline the journal’s founding and developmental process, editorial policies, academic impact, and remarkable growth. Additionally, we reaffirm our dedication to advancing innovative research within the journal’s scope while outlining future expectations and strategic directions. Furthermore, we highlight the success story behind the journal’s high-impact publications and its recognition by prestigious indexing services such as Scopus, Web of Science, and DOAJ. The ongoing mission of the Journal of Metaverse is to shape the discourse on the technical and societal implications of the Metaverse and related technologies, enhance research visibility, and guide future innovations in this transformative field. Through this editorial, we seek to contribute to the broader scholarly conversation and share insights with publishers, authors, researchers, editors, and relevant stakeholders, fostering further collaboration and advancement in the field
Feasibility randomised controlled trial to assess the delivery of a novel isometric exercise intervention for people diagnosed with uncomplicated stage 1 hypertension in the National Health Service: Key quantitative findings
No full textObjectives
The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of delivering personalised isometric exercise (IE) for people with stage 1 hypertension. Is it feasible to deliver an isometric wall squat intervention in the National Health Service and what sample size is required to conduct an appropriately powered effectiveness randomised controlled trial (RCT)?
Design
Randomised controlled open-label multicentre feasibility study of IE compared with standard care in unmedicated people with stage 1 hypertension.
Setting
Initially, the study aimed to recruit through primary care, but this process coincided with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we shifted focus to direct-to-public advertising and delivery in secondary care.
Participants
People with unmedicated stage 1 hypertension aged over 18 able to perform IE were included. Patients were excluded if average home systolic blood pressure (sBP) <135 mm Hg; were unable to undertake the study intervention; had a previous history of diabetes mellitus, ischaemic heart disease, moderate-severe valvular heart disease, arrhythmia, stroke or transient ischaemic attack, aortic aneurysm, peripheral arterial disease and uncorrected congenital heart condition; stage 3b chronic kidney disease or worse; heart failure; enrolled in another clinical trial; pregnant or breastfeeding. 41 participants (57±15 years), 59% women, were randomised.
Intervention participants were randomised (1:1) to either standard lifestyle advice or an individualised isometric wall squat prescription, performed 4×2-min bouts three times a week for 6 months.
Primary and secondary outcome measures We assessed deliverability, attrition, adherence and variance in blood pressure (BP) change.
Results
IE was found to be easily deliverable to all participants. At 6 months, 34% had withdrawn. Of those who completed IE, 85% of their sessions were at the correct intensity, meeting our retention criterion for success. Variance in BP change was 14.4 mm Hg. The study was not powered to show a difference in BP between groups; however, BP reductions were seen in the intervention group at all study time points compared with baseline. There were no adverse events related to study participation.
Conclusions
We met our a priori recruitment criteria which allowed us to calculate a sample size (n=542) for a full RCT. The results demonstrate good acceptability and adherence rates to the treatment protocol. Our results show a signal towards a consistent sBP reduction in the IE group compared with baseline
The individual and situational factors predicting unethical behaviour in the workplace: A direct and conceptual replication of Jones & Kavanagh (1996)
No full textIntentions to act unethically in the workplace are purported to be driven by a number of situational and individual factors. Across two seminal vignette experiments Jones and Kavanagh (1996) reported inconsistent effect sizes for manager and peer influence and locus of control, consistent significant effects for work quality and Machiavellianism, and consistent non-significant effects for gender. Using an innovative multi-site collaboration, the current Registered Report represents a direct replication of these experiments (N = 2218), and adds a longitudinal conceptual replication capturing self-reported unethical work behaviour (N = 1747). Both replications found a consistent small effect of having a more external locus of control and male identity, and a consistent moderate effect of machiavellianism, for increasing unethical intentions and behaviour. The situational factors, whilst consistent in direction with that of the original study, varied more substantively in effect size. Our results highlight the value of multi-site collaborations and different replication types in developing conceptual, methodological, measurement and theoretical clarity to ensure future works can progress more rapidly to minimize the negative impacts of unethical workplace behaviour and improve individual’s working lives. All materials, code and data for this project can be found here: osf.io/d3arx
The living experiences of adults born with a cleft lip and/or palate
No full textSection A
Background and aims. Cleft lip and/or palate are common congenital craniofacial conditions which can impact speech and appearance. Individuals with cleft often endure bullying and interpersonal challenges in early life, but existing reviews of the impact of cleft attempt to cover multiple domains of lifespan life satisfaction, leaving it unclear what the potential social impact may be on adults.
Method. A systematic search of CINAHL, APA PsycInfo and MEDLINE databases was conducted. Screening and quality appraisal followed, and a thematic synthesis was conducted to identify descriptive and analytical themes.
Results. Thirteen studies were included in the review and seven analytical themes were identified: 1) Constructing a view of oneself as an ‘outsider;’ 2) a sense of belonging in a social world; 3) meaning attributed to unique adult relationships, 4) passing on my experiences; 5) developing social survival strategies; 6) operations of power and 7) self-perception as intrinsically enveloped in social life.
Conclusion. Whilst many adults with cleft will develop mechanisms for living in a social world, difficulties remain for some. Elements of socialising can bring about painful past memories and present realities surrounding the extent to which one belongs which should be considered
by psychologists working within cleft teams.
Section B
Objective. Evidence suggests that cleft lip and/or palate can have significant psychosocial impacts on adults’ lives beyond the end of the standard treatment pathway. Although some studies indicate gender differences, no research has specifically explored the experiences of women with cleft. This study aimed to explore the stories told by women about their adult experiences of cleft, for discussion informed by intersectionality theory.
Participants. Fourteen women born with cleft aged 20-72 living in the US or UK.
Design. Participants were interviewed using a narrative, photo elicitation approach. Each participant brought photos they felt represented their story to an unstructured interview, which was recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were subject to narrative analysis.
Results. Six overarching narratives were identified, depicting converging stories told by each participant throughout their interview. These were 1) enduring, 2) hiding, 3) striving, 4) healing, 5)reclaiming and 6) reconciling.
Conclusions. Viewing cleft through an intersectional lens offers important insights into the lived and living experiences of adults navigating treatment and the ongoing psychosocial impact of cleft. The findings suggest that expectations and pressures placed on women by society are compounded by, rather than exist in parallel with, the ongoing impact of cleft
Investigating the processes involved with women known to children's services
No full textSection A
Background and Aims: Birth mothers involved with children’s services often have histories of trauma. While its impact on parenting is acknowledged and women report negative experiences with these services, few studies examine their trauma histories and how these influence their lives. This study aimed to explore such histories and their potential effects.
Method: Following PRISMA guidelines, four databases were systematically searched for studies focusing on birth mothers with trauma histories who have encountered children’s services. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria.
Results: The studies were reasonably sound in recruitment, design, data collection, and validity of findings. However, researcher bias and limited generalisability, due to factors like participation in therapeutic programmes, sociopolitical contexts, and family size differences, affected conclusions. A narrative synthesis revealed seven themes: trauma experiences, trauma effects, parenting influence, relationships with services, racism experiences, support networks, and women’s strengths, though studies addressed these themes unevenly.
Conclusion: While methodological quality was reasonable, the small number of studies, limited samples, and missing information restrict firm conclusions, emphasising the need for more research. Despite these limitations, shared experiences, particularly anger and mistrust, offer valuable insights for developing trauma-informed approaches to better support women engaging with children’s services.
Section B
Background and aims: This study aimed to explore the social and psychological influences involved in the experience of women who go through care proceedings and face child removal. Many have experienced trauma, mental health challenges, and systemic marginalisation, yet their experiences within legal processes remain underexplored. Using a feminist-informed approach, this research examines individual, relational, and systemic influences, aiming to develop an explanatory theory that highlights women's voices and informs trauma-informed, compassionate support.
Method: Eight women and three professionals were interviewed. Data were analysed using Grounded Theory.
Results: A preliminary model shows that throughout care proceedings, women are repeatedly positioned as the problem, while services feel persecutory. Ruptures in relationships with professionals occur at different stages, influencing psychological well-being and reducing the effectiveness of support. This cycle continues, shaped by systemic factors and broader societal contexts.
Conclusion: The findings extend our understanding of women’s experiences in care proceedings, linking results to developmental theories and existing research. Clinically, trauma-informed support and frameworks like the power threat meaning framework could better address their needs. Future research could assess these approaches, explore the role of class and socio-demographics, and examine how external support can be more effective
The impact of trauma and PTSD on social functioning in refugees and asylum seekers post-migration: systematic review
No full textBackground: Refugees and asylum seekers often experience trauma, leading to high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the extent to which trauma and PTSD impacts social functioning, such as social relationships or engaging with community activities in new environments, remains unclear. Aims: This systematic review aims to identify key areas of social functioning influenced by trauma and PTSD, with additional analyses stratified by trauma type. Method: A comprehensive search of five databases, grey literature sources, and reference lists was conducted in February 2025. Included papers explored the impact of trauma or PTSD on social functioning in adult displaced populations post-migration, within the last 30 years. Studies’ risk of bias was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and the Authority, Accuracy, Coverage, Objectivity, Date, Significance checklist. Data were extracted on associations between trauma, PTSD and social functioning outcomes. Results: Of the studies, encompassing 15 394 participants, 38 met the inclusion criteria. Our analysis indicated that trauma and PTSD have an impact on multiple domains of social functioning, including post-migration living difficulties, everyday functioning, acculturation and integration, social relationships, and employment and education. War-related trauma predominantly affected psychosocial functioning and integration, whereas interpersonal trauma had a greater impact on social relationships. While most findings indicated a negative influence of trauma and PTSD on these areas, some evidence suggested the potential for post-traumatic growth. Conclusions: The findings underscore the challenges displaced groups face, alongside the possibility of post-traumatic growth. Future research should focus on identifying factors that facilitate positive adaptation, informing interventions to support social integration in these vulnerable groups