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Between words and practice: a qualitative exploration of physical literacy understanding and application
No full textPhysical literacy (PL) has become an internationally recognised framework for promoting lifelong physical activity, yet its interpretation and application remain inconsistent across different contexts. In Serbia, where Physical Education (PE) is historically performance-driven and PL is absent from curricula and policy, little is known about how teachers understand and apply the concept. This qualitative study explored the philosophies and practices of Serbian PE teachers (in-service, n = 20; pre-service, n = 11) through semi-structured interviews applying deductive thematic analysis in relation to the core elements of PL informed by the IPLA's definition (2017). Findings show that although PL was largely unheard of, it was commonly described in ways that captured its holistic dimensions of health, motivation, and lifelong engagement, albeit with a predominant focus on physical competence. Participants expressed positive aspirations for PE as a subject, frequently emphasising values such as pupil wellbeing, enjoyment, and long-term habit formation. However, practical accounts were dominated by traditional, teacher-led lessons focused on drills, discipline, and technical performance, with student autonomy and creativity rarely depicted. For pre-service teachers, discipline emerged as a central expectation, with compliance and order described as prerequisites for learning with few participants articulating student-centred practices. Overall, the findings highlight a clear gap between PL-aligned holistic philosophy and traditional practice. Addressing this gap through curriculum reform, teacher education, and professional development is crucial if PL is to be meaningfully embedded in Serbian PE and positively influence pupils’ confidence, autonomy, and lifelong activity
‘…Because Apparently, You're a Child? …’ Delivering Effective Support for Teenagers Living in Refuges
No full textRefuges have been central to UK domestic violence service provision since the 1970s. Studies have often focused on the needs of adult women, with little examination of the position of teenagers. This study aimed to redress this via staff interviews and repeat interviews using participatory methods with 20 teenagers in England. There was a tension between experiences of being treated as competent adults or as vulnerable children, and ambiguity of status. In addition to the transition of adolescence, teenagers experienced other transitions such as relocation, moving significant geographical distances, and changes to education, friendships and family. Teenagers’ specific needs were rarely catered for. They wanted help, support and advice, and freedom from refuge restrictions. Recognition of the distinct aspects of adolescence can inform a model of support. This chapter concludes that teenagers should be recognised as service users in their own right and identifies ways to support teenagers more effectively
Correction: Intratumor microbiota as a novel potential prognostic indicator in mesothelioma
No full textAnthropometric Characteristics and Fitness Status of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Personnel
No full textBackground/Objectives: This study aimed to assess the anthropometric and body composition characteristics, blood profiles and fitness-related parameters of emergency medical services (EMS) professionals. Methods: A total of 39 EMS professionals participated in the study, consisting of 18 males (age: 37.78 ± 10.62 years, height 180.87 ± 6.00 cm,
weight 105.42 ± 25.40 kg) and 21 females (age: 33.05 ±7.44 years, height 167.29 ± 3.89 cm, weight 90.63 ± 21.20 kg). The testing included anthropometric measurements, blood profiling, handgrip and low back strength assessments, vertical jump evaluation, flexibility testing, sit-up and push-up assessments, as well as timed performance measurements for a 300-meter sprint and a 1.5-mile run. Results: According to the body mass index (BMI), 41% of the EMS professionals were classified as obese. Self-reported data indicated a
smoking prevalence of 23%, while diabetes (n=3), asthma (n=2), and hypertension (n=2) were also reported. Our results reveal that a great proportion of EMS professionals
demonstrated suboptimal body composition and performance levels, with many failing to meet recommended health and performance standards. Elevated BMI, waist and hip
circumferences, and body fat percentages were observed, along with relatively low performance in the strength and endurance tests. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions among EMS professionals, who are expected to maintain adequate levels of aerobic capacity, flexibility, muscular strength and endurance
Eco-Anxiety Without Borders: A Cross-National Study on Climate Perceptions, Beliefs About Government Climate Action, and Climate Concern
No full textBackground:
Eco-anxiety has become a prominent emotional response to the global climate crisis, yet there is a lack of empirical research examining its prevalence and correlates across diverse cultural and national contexts.
Objective:
This study aimed to investigate levels of eco-anxiety and its associations with age, perceived knowledge, climate risk perception, and beliefs about governmental climate action across participants from six countries.
Results:
Data were collected from 2,206 participants across India, Italy, the Philippines, Türkiye, Trinidad and Tobago, and Hungary. Statistically significant cross-national differences were found in eco-anxiety, perceived knowledge, climate risk perception, and beliefs about government action. Italian participants reported the highest levels of eco-anxiety, while Hungarian participants reported the lowest. Correlational analyses showed that eco-anxiety was positively associated with climate risk perception and perceived knowledge, but negatively associated with age and beliefs in government action.
Discussion:
The findings reveal that eco-anxiety is shaped by both cognitive and sociopolitical factors. Risk perception and climate knowledge appear to intensify emotional responses, while belief in government action may serve as a mitigating factor. Age-related differences suggest that younger individuals are more emotionally impacted by climate concerns.
Conclusion:
This study underscores the need for culturally sensitive public policy and mental health interventions to address the psychological dimensions of the climate crisis
Professionals’ Confidence, Training, and Victim Blaming: Views on Physical and Technology-Assisted Child Sexual Abuse
No full textBackground
Despite the rise in technology-assisted child sexual abuse (TA-CSA), limited research has considered professionals’ understanding of TA-CSA compared to physical child sexual abuse (CSA). Understanding professionals’ confidence, knowledge and individual factors affecting responses to TA-CSA could offer insights for training and preventative initiatives.
Objective
This study explored professionals’ training and confidence in responding to CSA compared to TA-CSA.
Methods
The study analyzed responses of 177 professionals working with children (PWC) in an online survey consisting of vignettes describing a physical and a TA-CSA incident. Participants provided their perspectives on victim blame, perceived incident harmfulness, and completed questionnaires on individual factors such as empathy and belief in a just world.
Results
PWC indicated more experience of CSA incidents through their workplaces, more training and more confidence compared to TA-CSA. Mental health and health care professionals reported more training and confidence compared to educators. Professionals tended to attribute more blame to the victims in TA-CSA scenarios and more blame to the perpetrators in physical CSA. No significant differences were observed between the two vignettes on perceived harmfulness. Among individual factors, only empathy influenced professionals’ perceived harmfulness in TA-CSA scenarios.
Conclusions
This study provides insight into PWC’s understanding of TA-CSA and highlights the importance of developing evidence-based preventative and educational interventions, especially for educators
TCT-409 Is Minimum Lumen Diameter the Major Determinant of the Diagnostic Performance of Angiography-Based Vessel Fractional Flow Reserve (vFFR) ?
No full textBackground
The diagnostic performance of Vessel fractional flow reserve (vFFR) for identifying lesions with a fractional flow reserve (FFR) ≤0.80 varied across studies, and the cause remained unclear. (Figure A) We investigated whether quantitative coronary angiography-derived parameters: reference vessel diameter (RVD), minimal lumen diameter (MLD), diameter stenosis (DS) or lesion length (LL) influence the diagnostic performance of vFFR.
Methods
The core lab retrospectively analysed the QCA and vFFR in 406 vessels with concordant FFR and non-hyperemic pressure ratios pooled from a retrospective cohort and a prospective multicenter trial (NCT03857503). Correlations between the absolute vFFR and FFR difference and QCA parameters were assessed. Diagnostic accuracy of vFFR ≤0.80 for detecting FFR ≤0.80 was assessed across quartiles of QCA parameters. ROC curves and their respective areas under the curve (AUC) were compared.
Results
MLD demonstrated the strongest correlation with the absolute difference of vFFR and FFR (r = –0.425, p 1.80 mm); sensitivity declined from 98.3% in Q1 to 53.3% in Q4 (p < 0.001), whereas specificity increased from 15.9% to 95.4% (p < 0.001). The AUC increased from 0.710 (Q1) to 0.848 (Q4), with a non-significant (raw p = 0.07, Bonferroni-adjusted p = 0.43)(Figure C).
Conclusion
The variability in vFFR performance is influenced by vessel geometry. MLD may play a key role, with diagnostic performance becoming more consistent with larger MLD
TCT-374 Drug-coated balloon versus drug-eluting stent for treating coronary bifurcation lesions: insights from the REC-CAGEFREE I trial
No full textBackground
For treating target lesions involving coronary bifurcation, drug-coated balloon (DCB) has emerged as an attractive strategy. However, its long-term efficacy and safety as compared to drug-eluting stent (DES) for such an indication remain in debate. To assess the clinical outcomes of DCB versus DES in treating de novo coronary bifurcation lesions.
Methods
REC-CAGEFREE I was an investigator-initiated, non-inferiority trial conducted at 43 sites in China, which randomized 2,272 participants to paclitaxel-coated balloon with the option of rescue stenting (DCB group) or sirolimus-eluting stents (DES group) for treating de novo lesions, regardless of vessel diameter. In this pre-specified subgroup analysis, participants were stratified by whether the target lesion involved bifurcation or not. The primary outcome was the device-oriented composite endpoint·(DoCE; including cardiovascular death, target-vessel myocardial infarction, and·clinically·and physiologically-indicated target-lesion revascularization) at 24 months.
Results
2,257 (99.3%) participants with available angiographic results were included in the analysis, of which 773 (34.2%) had target lesions involving bifurcation. At 24 months, the DoCE occurred in 46/773 (6.0%) of patients in the bifurcation group and 64/1,484 (4.3%) of patients in the non-bifurcation group (HRIPTW:1.39, 95%CI:0.87-2.21, P=0.164). A significant interaction between bifurcation and DCB/DES for DoCE was observed (Pinteraction=0.037). In the non-bifurcation group, DoCE occurred in 46/735 (6.3%) of patients with DCB and 18/749 (2.4%) of patients with DES (HRIPTW: 2.56, 95%CI:1.45-4.54, P=0.001), respectively; whereas in the bifurcation group, DoCE occurred in 26/394 (6.7%) of patients with DCB and 20/379 (5.3%) of patients with DES (HRIPTW: 1.07, 95%CI: 0.56-2.05, P=0.836), respectively.
Conclusion
Heterogeneity in the treatment effect between DCB and DES was observed in bifurcation and non-bifurcation lesions. DCB was associated with a numerically similar risk of DoCE at 24 months compared to the DES for the treatment of bifurcation lesions. However, given the observational nature of the study, these results should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating only
Professional doctorates in health and social care: A qualitative exploration of their impact and outcomes by two northern universities
No full textAim: To explore the experiences, outcomes and impact identified by current and past students of undertaking a professional doctorate (PD) in health and/or social care on themselves, their employing organisations and their professional domain. Background: Professional Doctorates are intended to equip graduates with critical and creative thinking skills, and the ability to understand, question and produce evidence relevant to health and social care policy, practice and education. They are costly in terms of time, effort and resources for student and employer, but there is little empirical evidence to support these claims. Methodology: This modified constructivist grounded theory study used a qualitative methods approach, that included both questionnaires (mainly free text answers with a few demographic and numerical questions) and in-depth semi-structured interviews. Current (n=42), graduate (n=4) and previous (2) professional doctorate students completed the questionnaires. The interviews were conducted online with 12 current students from three different health and/or social care programmes from two universities in England. Descriptive demographic and numerical student experience and outcome data were presented to provide context for the study. The qualitative data from both datasets were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2022) thematic analysis. Results/Findings: Ten themes were identified, five relating to individual impact. These included: positive outcomes on personal growth and validation; improved ability to deal with complexity; more mixed effects from both challenges and support in academia; as well as some career development opportunities. Frustrations were found by some in their current role. Employers were seen as gaining employees with enhanced assessment skills, making a stronger contribution to organisational development. Doctoral students also brought esteem to employing organisations by virtue of their academic status. Professional impact could be limited by the expectations, support and culture of their employing organisation and in the way doctorates are viewed by the profession. Policy development was evidenced, but it was often a slow process, needing opportunity, mentorship and time to be fully realised. Conclusions/Recommendations: Participants valued their professional doctorate experience and the way it transformed their world view, professional knowledge and confidence. Some students felt conflict between their developing professional self-concept and the support, recognition and scope for development on the part of their employer, although some evidenced career progression. Employers should engage with staff undertaking professional doctorates in order to provide support and optimise organisation benefits. More research is needed to explore the perspectives of employers and professional organisations. It is also necessary to evaluate longer-term outcomes for the postdoctoral professional
An exploration of the lived experience of receiving an unfounded frivolous complaint in the context of psychotherapy practice
No full textThere is broad consensus that the therapeutic relationship constitutes a core common factor for almost all modalities of psychotherapy and viewed as necessary and sufficient in person-centred therapy serving as a catalyst for change. However, ruptures can occur in the therapeutic relationship and at an extreme end can result in complaints, some of which may be deemed frivolous. The potential for frivolous complaints can arise for any therapist, regardless of their competence or integrity, and may come from clients, colleagues, or third parties. Frivolous complaints are defined as groundless grievances, made without merit with the intention to cause distress, damage or harassment for the recipient. Little qualitative research has been undertaken to understand the personal and professional impact of a frivolous complaint.
This study was two-phased. A qualitative design was employed. Online semi-structured interviews were conducted in both phases to explore first-person lived experiences of the phenomenon. The findings were analysed from an interpretative phenomenological perspective. The aim of phase (1) was to understand the personal and professional consequences of frivolous complaints on a group of person-centred psychotherapists. The aim of phase (2) was to understand the lived experiences of a supervisor who supported a supervisee through the complaints process. The specific objectives were to highlight participants’ sense-making of receiving a frivolous complaint in the context of their personal and professional lives; how participants managed the complaint and complaints process; a supervisor’s lived experience of supporting a supervisee through the complaints process; the role of the supervisor in the complaints process.
Phase (1): eight person-centred psychotherapists including three males and five females from the United Kingdom or Ireland participated in this study. Participants were aged between 50-65, with 6+ years of psychotherapy experience. A case-by-case idiographic analysis was followed by a cross-case analysis. Phase (1) findings indicated the participants experienced an unfounded frivolous complaint as causing enduring psychological and professional harm. Three themes emerged: ‘Relationships,’ ‘Ruptures,’ and ‘Resolution.’ Receiving a frivolous complaint was akin to a traumatic event and challenged personal and professional identity. Participants felt unprepared, vulnerable, anxious, self-doubting, feared judgment and stigma, experienced professional isolation, were affected by a power imbalance due to the burden of proof, faced challenges in the complaints process due to an absence of complaints management training, lacked supportive intervention, and altered their professional practice.
Phase (2): a single case study focussed on a male supervisor in the 51-65 age range practising as a person-centred psychotherapist for over 20 years. The interview generated a description of his experience around supporting a supervisee during the complaints process. Phase (2) findings - four themes emerged from an idiographic analysis of the case: ‘Them and Us – Shutters Down,’ ‘Containing the Container,’ ‘Reflecting and Reasoning,’ and ‘Parallel Processes.’ Results indicated that the clinical supervisor experienced isolation, power imbalance affecting their ability to advocate for the supervisee, was disappointed in the absence of complaints management training, and lack of containment. They believed client factors impacted complaints, and their feelings mirrored that of the supervisees.
Previous research tended to focus on the effects of ethical violations on mental health professionals or the complainant. The findings of this study fill a gap in knowledge and make a positive contribution to knowledge on a theoretical level by focussing specifically on the consequences of frivolous complaints in a psychotherapy context. On a practical level the results can be used to review guidance on personal and professional support, education and awareness, training and systemic improvements by streamlining investigatory complaint procedures across all accrediting bodies. It may also help foster a culture of empathy and accountability in order to re-establish emotional well-being after a complaint is made. This study builds on previous research by proposing a new framework to improve containment by providing a structured, supportive space to process emotions and foster professional growth for affected supervisors and their supervisees. The phenomenological perspective contributes to existing literature by offering new insights into the lived experience of person-centred therapists and the impact of frivolous complaints