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Hiding and being seen: An exploration of the value of, and challenge to, person-centred counselling when working with adult adoptees who have been adopted in infancy
No full textAdult adoptees comprise a relatively unexplored population (Melero et al., 2023). This may be due to their ability “to function and appear normal in society” (Sexton, 2013, p. 5). However, this does not mean they are not impacted by their adoption. Many adult adoptees go on to seek out support in the form of counselling, but what are the benefits of this form of support and is it useful for this client group? This research seeks to answer the following question: What is the value of, and challenge to, person-centred counselling when working with adult adoptees who have been adopted in infancy? The aims of this research are to gain insight into the experience of adult adoptees who were adopted in infancy, and to explore what adult adoptees, who were
adopted in infancy, gained from, or struggled with in, accessing person-centred counselling to explore issues related to their adoption.
Ten research participants, who self-identified as being adopted in infancy and having experience with person-centred counselling, were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2022) was used to elicit the depth and richness of the experience of both phenomena. Participants were encouraged to describe their childhood experiences related to their adoption and the perceived impact of this, before relating their experience of person-centred counselling, paying attention to both the perceived values and challenges. Six group experiential themes emerged: 1) Self-Perceived Experience of Adoption, 2) Accessing Counselling – The Nuts and Bolts, 3) Experiencing the Qualities of Person-Centred Counselling, 4) Experiencing the Process of Person-Centred Counselling, 5) Self-Discovery and Perceived Outcomes, and 6) Observations and Advice. Whilst person-centred counselling was found to be largely beneficial for this group, a number of challenges to engagement were also identified. The importance of establishing psychological contact and providing
an attuned, emotionally present therapeutic relationship, particularly in the early stages of person-centred counselling was highlighted. Psychoeducation, when offered sensitively, supported meaning-making and reduced shame. A new attachment style, insecure-dysregulated, is identified and proposed as a valuable area for future research. This aims to capture the relational and
emotional presentation of some high-functioning adoptees who appear grounded yet experience internal dysregulation, self-suppression, and chronic shame. These findings point to the need for lifelong, adoption-competent support and affirm the value of responsive, flexible person-centred counselling that honours the adoptee’s lived experience
Gum Arabic and Breast Cancer Biology
No full text© 2025 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.Acacia gums (AGs), derived from Acacia senegal, Acacia seyal, and Acacia polyacantha trees, are widely used in various industries, including food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. They serve as emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners, and soluble dietary fibers. This study aimed to optimize the extraction process of secondary metabolites extracted (SME) from AGS to enhance their efficiency and quality for industrial applications. Gum arabic, primarily composed of D-galactose, L-arabinose, L-rhamnose, D-glucuronic acid, and 4-O-methyl-D-glucuronic acid with a small fraction of proteins, is a multifunctional ingredient known for its emulsifying activity, attributed to its amphiphilic nature. Its effectiveness as an emulsifier stems from its high water solubility, low-viscosity, good surface activity, and ability to form a protective film around emulsion droplets. AGS in Sudan play crucial ecological roles by providing fodder, firewood, gums, and soil erosion control, which are essential for gum arabic production. Sudan’s diverse biodiversity hosts many plant species traditionally used for medicinal purposes, with extensive knowledge of medicinal plant species stemming from their widespread use among different ethnic groups. This study highlights the importance of optimizing the extraction of secondary metabolites from AGS for industrial applications, and the significance of AGS in Sudan’s ecological balance and economic stability.Unfunde
Monologue and organization studies
Get PDF© The Author(s) 2022.In this essay, we propose that recent work in management and organization studies is typically inclined to understand organization and organizing as dialogic in form. Dialogicity is characterized by dynamic interlocution on the part of active human sense-makers and, in our critical reading, evokes a romanticized social landscape that fails to reflect the more prosaic features of organizational life. To address what we see as certain limitations of the dialogic view, we introduce a complementary point of reference: that of monologic organization. This perspective provokes reflection on those situations in which meanings are predetermined at the outset and communication consists of the strictly controlled, routine reproduction of formal scripts. We draw on the works of Mikhail Bakhtin and Michel Serres to reclaim monologic as a pertinent view of organization and its processes. Finally, we provide micro-, meso- and macro-level examples to illustrate and discuss the heuristic potential of a monologic view.Unfunde
‘Give me a minute, I just need to put you into your groups’: Transferring group activities to the online space using breakout rooms
Get PDF© 2024 Gemma Carr. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license (unless stated otherwise) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Transitions to online learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic challenged how group-based activities were delivered. This paper explores how a quantitative social research design project allowed insights into digital pedagogy. Transition to group working in breakout rooms required planning to be centred on an imagined student learning experience. As a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA), this included understanding the dynamics by group, supporting learning in the digital space, presenting accessible materials, facilitating the learning process across multiple groups, and (re)planning teaching sessions successfully for the online milieu. Breakout rooms are dispersed digital learning spaces and were in use at a time when students were experiencing significant declines in mental health, challenges with digital exclusion, disengagement, and a lack of online confidence in peer-to-peer relationships (Peper et al., 2021; Savage et al., 2020). Addressing these key factors required a more student-centred planning approach, based on individual and group needs, in ways which were not seen within face-to-face delivery. Drawing on experiences of the potential for isolation and uncertainty for students in breakout room spaces, I reimagined the digital space in terms of material presentation, facilitating student empowerment, and communicating and managing across multiple breakout rooms concurrently. These strategies contributed towards positive student experiences, providing pedagogical insights into newer online teaching practices for GTAs.Unfunde
On the strength of a weak variant of the axiom of counting
No full textThis article is not available on ChesterRepIn this paper NFU-AC is used to denote Jensen's modification of Quine's ‘new foundations’ set theory (NF) fortified with a type-level pairing function but without the axiom of choice. The axiom AxCount>_ is the variant of the axiom of counting which asserts that no finite set is smaller than its own set of singletons. This paper shows that NFU-AC + AxCount>_ proves the consistency of the simple theory of types with infinity (TSTI). This result implies that NF + AxCount>_ proves that consistency of TSTI, and that NFU-AC + AxCount>_ proves the consistency of NFU-AC.Unfunde
Eligibility of athletes with a difference in sex development in elite sport: Opinions of national, elite and world class athletes
Get PDF© 2025 The Author(s). European Journal of Sport Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH on behalf of European College of Sport Science.There have been limited studies allowing key stakeholders the opportunity to voice their opinions on DSD athlete participation in elite sport. The purpose of this study was to survey athletes eligible to compete in the female category regarding DSD athletes' inclusion. This study surveyed national, elite and world class athletes (n = 147) competing in the female category regarding their opinions on the eligibility of DSD athletes in elite sport. The study compared current and retired Olympic sport athletes, elite versus world class athletes and current Olympic sport versus current Olympic‐recognised sport athletes. Most athletes believed that it was an unethical requirement to medicate in order to comply with eligibility regulations (67.2%). Overall, athletes did not support a separate category for DSD athletes, an opinion most strongly held for precision sports (69.5%) and a majority believed their participation in the female category was fair (54.4%, precision sports). This opinion was more commonly held by Olympic‐recognised sport than current Olympic sport athletes, particularly for sports heavily reliant on physical capacity (61.1% vs. 20%). More current Olympic sport athletes believed that the eligibility of DSD athletes for the female category was unfair, compared to Olympic‐recognised sport athletes. Athletes agreed that sports federations could be doing more to make sport more inclusive for DSD athletes (82.2%), with only 8.2% believing such athletes were treated fairly. After reviewing these novel results, the athletes' voice (in combination with scientific evidence) should be utilised to create appropriate policies that align with the collective values of athletes.Unfunde
Hans Frei and the Future of Theology
No full textSusan Neiman has argued that the problem of evil in modern European philosophy concerns the absence of intelligibility, meaning and justice that threatens the trust in the world we need to understand it and act in it. In light of Frei's reading of H. Richard Niebuhr's theology as theodicy in similar terms, we may read Frei’s own Christological understanding of providence as a kind of theodicy, at once sombre, hopeful and restrained, with a practical, political force.N/
"This disease has made me lose the belief I had in myself": qualitative analysis of experiences among buruli ulcer disease patients in Nigeria using the socioecological model of health
Get PDFThe version of record of this article, first published in [Discover Public Health], is available online at Publisher’s website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00612-8Introduction: Buruli Ulcer Disease is a debilitating neglected tropical disease caused by “Mycobacterium ulcerans”, predominantly affecting marginalized populations in tropical and subtropical regions, including Nigeria. Previous studies have reported a prevalence rate of 61.3% for the disease, highlighting its significant burden on affected communities. Much of the existing research has focused on the biomedical aspects of BUD, often neglecting the sociocultural and environmental dimensions crucial to patient experiences and outcomes. This study utilizes the socioecological model of health to explore the complex interplay of individual, interpersonal, community, and societal factors shaping the experiences of buruli ulcer disease patients in Nigeria. Methods: Our qualitative study was conducted among people living with buruli ulcer disease in Enugu state. Data collection involved only one Focus Group Discussion with eight discussants due to the sensitive nature of the topic, and six Key Informant Interviews, encompassing a diverse group of buruli ulcer disease patients. The WHO Quality of Life-BREF was adapted for data collection, which was conducted by a trained team. Data were analyzed using content analysis to inductively code themes and identify overarching categories, supported by NVivo (version 12). Results: Our findings reveal the diverse experiences of patients across various levels of socioecological model. At the individual level: participants reported significant physical and psychological challenges, including persistent pain, discomfort, disfigurement, and the emotional toll of stigmatization. Interpersonal level: experiences of social rejection, loss of social roles, and abandonment by family members were reported. These interpersonal challenges were exacerbated by the stigma surrounding the disease, leading to strained relationships and a sense of isolation within their social circles. At the organizational level: some individuals experienced compassion and assistance, others faced social isolation, discrimination, and exclusion due to misconceptions. Broader community level included limited awareness, which resulted in a lack of resources and formal support systems. Conclusion: BUD patients in Nigeria endure considerable negative psychosocial experiences, particularly at the interpersonal and community levels. Enhancing community awareness and support is crucial to mitigating these impacts. Further research should explore family-level psychosocial experiences and other contributing factors to provide a more comprehensive understanding and inform effective intervention strategies.Royal Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene/The National Institute for Health and Care Research 2022 early career gran
Do demographic, and clinical characteristics influence meeting NICE quality standards for young people transitioning to adult intellectual disability services?
Get PDF© Paul Soper, Alex G. Stewart, Rajan Nathan, Sharleen Nall-Evans, Rachel Mills, Felix Michelet and Sujeet Jaydeokar.
Published by Emerald Publishing Limited.Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the quality of transition from child and adolescent services to adult intellectual disability services, using the relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) standard (QS140). In addition, this study also identifies any differences in transition quality between those young people with intellectual disability with and without autism. Design/methodology/approach: Using routinely collected clinical data, this study identifies demographic and clinical characteristics of, and contextual complexities experienced by, young people in transition between 2017 and 2020. Compliance with the quality standard was assessed by applying dedicated search terms to the records.
Findings: The study highlighted poor recording of data with only 22% of 306 eligible cases having sufficient data recorded to determine compliance with the NICE quality standard. Available data indicated poor compliance with the standard. Child and adolescent mental health services, generally, did not record mental health co-morbidities. Compliance with three out of the five quality statements was higher for autistic young people, but this only reached statistical significance for one of those statements (i.e. having a named worker, p = 0.02).
Research limitations/implications: Missing data included basic clinical characteristics such as the level of intellectual disability and the presence of autism. This required adult services to duplicate assessment procedures that potentially delayed clinical outcomes. This study highlights that poor compliance may reflect inaccurate recording that needs addressing through training and introduction of shared protocols.
Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the transition process between children’s and adults’ intellectual disability health services using NICE quality standard 140.Unfunde
How can UK public health initiatives support each other to improve the maintenance of physical activity? Evidence from a cross-sectional survey of runners who move from Couch-to-5k to parkrun
Get PDF© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press.Physical activity improves physical and mental well-being and reduces mortality risk. However, only a quarter of adults globally meet recommended physical activity levels for health. Two common initiatives in the UK are Couch-to-5k (an app-assisted 9-week walk/run programme) and parkrun (a free, weekly, timed 5-km walk/run). It is not known how these initiatives are linked, how Couch-to-5k parkrunners compare to parkrunners, and the extent to which this influences their parkrun performance. The aims were to compare the characteristics and motives and to compare physical activity levels, parkrun performance and the impact of parkrun between Couch-to-5k parkrunners and parkrunners. Three thousand two hundred and ninety six Couch-to-5k parkrunners were compared to 55,923 parkrunners to explore age, sex, ethnicity, employment status, neighbourhood deprivation, motives, physical activity levels, parkrun performance and the impact of parkrun. Couch-to-5k parkrunners were slightly older, more likely to be female and work part-time, but similar in ethnicity, and neighbourhood deprivation compared with other parkrunners. Couch-to-5k parkrunners had different motives for participation and reported high levels of physical activity at registration, which remained to the point of survey completion. This group had slower parkrun times but, when registered for a year, completed a similar number of runs (11) per year. Larger proportions of Couch-to-5k parkrunners perceived positive impacts compared with other parkrunners and 65% of Couch-to-5k parkrunners reported improvements to their lifestyle. parkrun appears to be an effective pathway for those on the Couch-to-5k programme, and the promising positive association between the two initiatives may be effective in assisting previously inactive participants to take part in weekly physical activity.The Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC) at Sheffield Hallam University were commissioned by parkrun to do the Health and Wellbeing Survey 2018. H.Q. is funded by an NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) post-doctoral Launching Fellowship
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