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Surveillance, technology, and the maternal body
No full textIn a world where surveillance and technology increasingly shape the most intimate aspects of human life, this monograph explores how motherhood is transformed by digital tools, AI, and societal control mechanisms. This interdisciplinary study interrogates the intersections of feminism, posthumanism, and surveillance studies to reveal how maternal bodies are not only sites of care but also sites of observation, regulation, and technological intervention.
Building on key theoretical frameworks from Donna Haraway, Michel Foucault, Judith Butler, and others, this book dissects how new digital and posthuman technologies—such as parenting apps, robotic caregivers, and smart homes—reshape the role and identity of the mother. From cyborg theory and mid-20th century surveillance practices to AI-driven caregiving and futuristic portrayals of robotic motherhood in media, Surveillance, Technology and the Maternal Body critically examines how motherhood is being redefined in both virtual and physical spaces.
The chapters draw on literature, film, digital media, and architectural theory, tracing the cyborgisation of motherhood and critically reflecting on how these surveillance practices both restrict and reshape what it means to be called 'mother'
Detailed Assessment of the Speed of Handwriting – 2nd Edition (DASH-2) : factor structure and measurement invariance across age and sex
No full textThe Detailed Assessment of the Speed of Handwriting-2 combines and extends previous versions of the test. This study examined the factor structure and presents the first analysis of measurement invariance across two age groups (8–16, 17–25) and sex. The normative sample comprised 762 examinees from the UK, Australia, and New Zealand who completed five tasks: Copy Best (CB), Alphabet Writing (AW), Copy Fast (CF), Free Writing (FW), and Graphic Speed (GS). As there were no significant between-country differences, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on the combined data set. This supported the two-factor model corresponding to the test structure of four core tasks (CB, AW, CB, and FW) reflecting handwriting ability, with a separate measure of grapho-motor ability (GS). Multigroup CFA indicated full configural, metric, and scalar invariance for age groups and sex. The findings provide support for the test structure and reliability of the test across age and sex
Randomised controlled trial of online behavioural sleep intervention for children with epilepsy
No full textWe evaluated the clinical and cost effectiveness of an online sleep intervention (COSI) for parents of children with epilepsy. We conducted a multicentre, parallel-group, unblinded, randomised controlled trial. We recruited children aged 4–12 years with epilepsy and sleep problems through 26 UK outpatient clinics. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) via a computer-generated minimisation algorithm. The primary outcome was the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) at three months. Cost-effectiveness was estimated at six months. We conducted intention to treat analyses. 85 children were enrolled (42 SC; 43 SC + COSI). At three months, the adjusted mean CSHQ difference between arms was 3.00 (95% CI 0.06–5.93; p = 0.05), indicating significant superiority of SC. Children in the SC + COSI group showed a mean 16.5-minute reduction in sleep onset latency by actigraphy and parents increased their knowledge. Only 23 (53%) families accessed the core intervention materials. Incremental mean cost of SC + COSI was £1,232 (95% credibility interval £535–£3,455) with a mean incremental Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) of 0.00 (95% CI -0.03 to 0.04), yielding an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £433,167 per QALY gained a (0.04 probability of being cost-effective at the £30,000/QALY threshold). Improved objective sleep onset latency and enhanced parental knowledge suggest that the underlying behaviour change techniques hold value
WFPC4001 Grading Matrix Certificate of Credit in the Principles of Commissioning
No full textGradming Matrix with student guidanc
‘Not business as usual’ : a tale of critical participatory action research and the extended case method
No full textPurpose.
This paper outlines the approach of critical participatory action research (CPAR) and the extended case method (ECM) within an applied research context. The context for the research example explored is set within employee ownership.
Design/methodology/approach.
CPAR is at the heart of this paper. The ECM is applied to underpin the approaches adopted. The approach to managing data is qualitative.
Findings.
A journey of originality is presented within this paper, which focuses upon CPAR and ECM to provide a unique and alternative methodological thinking crucial for pushing the boundaries of research approaches in organisations.
Originality/value.
Researchers can be encouraged by the stance adopted in the methodological positioning in combination with the participatory data approach and the action research methods underpinning the whole project, affording learning from the experience of complexity and difficulties encountered and shared. It is hoped that this approach will allow other such kindred forms of research to be developed
“I was a loser before, and now I’m a winner!” : perceptions and lived experience of the Low Traffic Neighbourhood
Full text linkA recent policy intervention being implemented across UK cities is Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs). The purpose of LTNs is to remove through-traffic from residential streets by strategically placing bollards and planters at key locations to block passage of motor cars while allowing cyclists and other micromobilities to pass through. LTNs are intended to bring proposed benefits including improved road safety for walking and cycling, a better-quality environment and improved public health. There has been much debate about the likely ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ of LTN interventions and reactions from the public have been divided. This article reports a study that investigated the perceptions and lived experience of residents who lived in, and along the boundary of, LTNs in the east of Oxford city, UK. Our starting premise is that LTNs reconfigure everyday lives, not just through infrastructure, but through emotion, identity, and contested claims to space, and that they are never merely infrastructural, but are political, affective, and shape, and are shaped by, how people move. To investigate this we used a combination of interviews and mobile ‘go-long’ interviews with residents who self-identified as ‘supporters’ or ‘opponents’ of the LTNs. This allowed us to reveal the complexity and nuance of
opinion of LTNs based on personal and household circumstances. We highlight the disruption that such interventions can make, both positively and negatively, to a sense of belonging and point to the importance of citizen participation in the development of well-intentioned city policies that inevitably create both ‘winners’ and ‘losers’
Weight stigma in the dental setting : a qualitative exploration of the experiences of people living with obesity
No full textPeople living with obesity (PLWO) are frequently subject to weight stigma in healthcare settings, which reduces their quality-of-care and exacerbates health inequalities. Evidence suggests PLWO also encounter weight stigma in the dental setting, however little research has explored this from the perspective of PLWO. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of PLWO in the dental setting, specifically whether PLWO encounter weight stigma, receive patient-centred care, and whether (if so how) visiting the dentist can be improved for PLWO. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 PLWO; 10 females and 2 males ranging in age from 21 to 71 years. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Four overarching themes, (1) the dental setting as a safe space, (2) structural weight stigma setting, (3) stigmatising dentist-patient interactions, (4) weight stigma impacts on delivering patient-centred care, were generated. An equal number of participants had/had not encountered weight stigma in the dental setting. Weight stigma was perceived within direct dentist-patient interactions, the dental setting’s physical environment and lack of access to bariatric dentistry, which seemed to impact upon the delivery of patient-centred care. Suggested avenues to improve visiting the dentist for PLWO included obesity education for the dental team. Participant lived experiences highlight that weight stigma is an issue some PLWO face in the dental setting. Professionals across clinical, educational and policy levels should work together to eliminate weight stigma in the dental setting and provide equitable care for PLWO
A guide to key decision criteria for Likert‐Scale use in survey research
Full text linkAlthough widely used in survey research, the application of the Likert scale often lacks rigorous justification in relation to key methodological decisions. Furthermore, inconsistencies in terminology persist, for example, the common reference made to the “5‐point Likert scale,” even though debate is ongoing about the optimal number of response categories. Using a narrative review approach, this paper provides researchers with a concise, evidence‐based guide for the appropriate use of Likert‐type scales in survey research. Drawing on existing literature on itemized rating scales, particularly the Likert scale, the paper identifies the frequently overlooked critical decision criteria for anchoring the Likert scale. It clarifies essential considerations such as the number of scale points, inclusion of midpoints, labeling of response categories, and response format presentation. As a practical contribution, the paper offers evidence‐based guidelines to help researchers make informed decisions when employing Likert‐type rating scales in survey research