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Treatment Alliance: A Bridge over the Religiosity Gap?
No full textMany mental health care patients, regardless of their religious beliefs, prefer a similar outlook on life with their professional caregivers. Patients experience greater openness to discuss religion and spirituality (R/S), mutual understanding, less fear of disapproval and report a higher treatment alliance. The question is whether the core problem of a so-called ‘religiosity gap’ (RG) lies in (a) an objective difference in outlook on life, (b) a perceived difference in outlook on life or (c) in unmet R/S care needs. We explored this by matching data of 55 patients with their respective caregivers for a quantitative analysis. An actual (objective) RG, when patients were religious and caregivers not, was not associated with a lower treatment alliance but a difference in intrinsic religiosity, especially when caregivers scored higher than patients, was related to a lower treatment alliance. A subjective RG, perceived by patients, and a higher level of unmet R/S care needs were also significantly associated with a lower treatment alliance as rated by patients. These results emphasize that sensitivity, respect and openness regarding R/S and secular views are essential elements in treatment and might benefit the treatment relationship.<br/
Who am I now? A scoping review on identity changes in post-stroke aphasia.
No full textPurposeProvide an overview of existing knowledge on the concept of identity and identity changes and formation of people with language disorders of aphasia. To date, there has been limited exploration of identity changes of people with aphasia as communication difficulties have been perceived as a barrier to participation by researchers.MethodA scoping review was performed utilizing Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework. The databases PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library were searched, and both descriptive and thematic analysis were conducted.ResultsThe search yielded 492 records, of which 20 studies were included. The analysis revealed various theories and definitions of identity. There was limited uniformity in defining identity in the publications. A recurrent theme was, that identity is a social construct and storytelling is the vehicle through which it is navigated. Language and communication are essential in this process.ConclusionsThe model of Narrative Identity might be useful to clarify identity and its dynamic nature, since it integrates various theories of identity referred to in the publications. Different aspects of identity should be considered in future research to add to existing knowledge of identity changes and formation in people with aphasia and to tailor future interventions if necessary
Loss, Grief and Existential Awareness: An Integrative Approach
No full textLoss, Grief and Existential Awareness introduces the Integrated Process Model (IPM), a new interdisciplinary and interprofessional model for grief research, education, and accompaniment that distinguishes and integrates five dimensions of grief: physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual.Central in this book is the insight that grief is connected to love because it is rooted in losing what is meaningful and dear to us. Once we recognize this, grief can become a window to existential awareness. Combining research on the physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual dimensions of grief, the integrated process approach connects this quest for a personal and authentic answer to the big questions in life with the philosophical and therapeutic tradition of existential thinking. Structured in an accessible, informative manner with gradual information building, the book presents the IPM approach at the beginning and then turns to it as a model throughout the book, so the reader gradually will start to deepen their understanding and memorize the framework. The structure is enhanced with boxes with existential reflections and exercises to engage the reader and case presentations of grieving persons who are followed throughout the book.This book is meant for everyone who is interested in a deeper understanding of how loss and grief can help opening the door to a more meaningful way of living. It is especially helpful for healthcare professionals, therapists, counsellors, chaplains, and researchers
Performing Plurality: Meet the Alters Vlogs on YouTube as Breeding Grounds for Epistemic Justice
No full textSocial media platforms have provided people with a psychiatric label the opportunity to build communities and share their stories without relying on the mediation of therapists, publishers, or broadcasters. Among them are people who identify not as one whole self, but as a system of plural personalities, often labeled as dissociative identity disorder (DID). People with plural identities started sharing videos on YouTube as a means to convey their experiences and fight stigma. In 2009, this gave rise to a distinct sub-genre of vlogs created by people with plural identities and DID: the ‘Meet the Alters’ video, where various personalities introduce themselves to the audience. This paper traces the fifteen-year evolution of these videos in order to show how the makers of the Meet the Alters videos use YouTube’s affordances and the conventions of the vlog genre to navigate a lack of hermeneutic resources outside of psychiatric discourse and understanding, allowing them to communicate their experiences in a relatable way to a general audience. Through a close reading of the staging and performance of plurality in thirteen Meet the Alters videos, posted between 2009 and April 2024, the paper reveals key developments and particularities of this genre. The analysis highlights how plural YouTubers create their own hermeneutic resources to present their potentially unfamiliar or unruly experiences in an understandable manner to their viewers. In conversation with emerging and growing plural communities, these hermeneutic resources have been continually supplemented and refined. After fifteen years, this has resulted in a rich identity-centered discourse that enables the performance and communication of plural experiences. We argue that YouTube’s specific affordances and the generic conventions of the vlog have been crucial in the emergence and development of non-stigmatising, non-psychiatric hermeneutic resources for expressing plural experiences
Examining People's Experiences of Working in Collaborative Relationships While Conducting Inclusive Research Involving Persons with Intellectual Disabilities
No full textThis study examined the experiences of working in collaborative relationships while conducting inclusive research involving persons with intellectual disabilities. More specifically, the study explored work relationships, social relationships, and factors that influence collaboration within inclusive research teams. Interviews were conducted with nine researchers with intellectual disabilities, eight academic researchers, and nine principal investigators who were all involved in six inclusive research projects together. The analysis of the interviews produced four themes: (1) the diverse nature of the involvement of researchers with intellectual disabilities; (2) the significance of involving researchers with intellectual disabilities within academic research; (3) shaping equity in research projects; and (4) stereotyping hindering collaborations with researchers with intellectual disabilities. These findings have implications for research and practice, both in terms of promoting inclusive research and facilitating the meaningful participation of persons with intellectual disabilities within various aspects of society, including education, employment, healthcare, and social activities