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Sustainability Analysis and Improvement of Model Driven Engineering and Model Transformation Languages
No full textEnhancing the participation of young <i>and</i> minoritised fathers in peer research: An intersectional reflexive analysis of methods and ethics
No full textThis article presents an intersectional, reflexive analysis of the research process, methods and ethical considerations involved in a community-based participatory study aimed at increasing and improving the participation of young and minoritised fathers, both in support settings and in research. Conducted by a peer research team comprising beneficiaries and a young male employee of a specialist support charity for young fathers, the substantive aim of Diverse Dads was to explore and address the limited diversity and inclusion of minoritised young fathers in contexts of family and multi-agency service provision. This aim prompted critical attention to questions of inclusion and empowerment for young fathers throughout the research process, including those from ethnic minority communities, as overlooked and under-represented populations in service contexts and research. Synthesising intersectionality and participation theories, we employ an ‘intersectional participatory framework’, to outline and interrogate four ‘critical moments’, and associated methodological strategies, that researchers might encounter in co-produced research with participants who are marginalised and/or minoritised. These are: (1) creating spaces to facilitate and enhance research participation, (2) fostering community empowerment through participation, (3) foregrounding minoritised voices and (4) (en)countering essentialism. Via these themes, we consider the possibilities for enhancing the inclusion and participation of marginalised and minoritised participants and explore the challenges and tradeoffs in research and practice contexts where engagement with such populations has proven challenging to overcome
The efficacy of online jigsaw puzzling for mental well‐being in older adults: A pilot study
No full textObjectives: The aim of the present research was to test the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial comparing five consecutive days of regular online jigsaw puzzling (JP) against a no‐treatment control group in improving mental well‐being outcomes in older adults. Methods: Eighteen older adults (65–80 years) were randomly assigned to either the JP (9) or control (9) group and completed a range of mental health and well‐being measures for five consecutive days. We assessed recruitment rates, completion rates and participants' experiences of the intervention. Results: Recruitment issues meant that 18 of the 32 intended participants took part in the trial. All participants completed the trial. Qualitative analysis indicated that participants experienced the JP intervention as accepted, with indications of enhanced enjoyment and self‐esteem at study completion. Conclusion: The present pilot study indicates that testing the efficacy of JP is feasible. A full‐scale clinical trial of this intervention should be considered, which can determine the efficacy of the JP intervention
Dietary Inflammatory Index, Sleep Duration and Quality : A Systematic Review:A Systematic Review
No full textThe inflammatory potential of the diet, as measured by the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) has been repeatedly shown to be associated with various inflammatory markers, physical and mental health outcomes. Of specific importance, several cross-sectional studies revealed mixed results regarding the correlations between the DII and sleep outcomes. Hence, in the current paper, we performed a systematic review to examine the associations between the DII, sleep duration and sleep quality. We systematically searched on PubMed database for studies published up to November 2023 following PRISMA guidelines. Only cross-sectional studies that assessed the DII, sleep duration, and sleep quality across healthy and unhealthy cohorts were included. Eleven and seven studies met the criteria and were included in the systematic review for sleep quality and duration, respectively. The results of the current systematic review indicate that pro-inflammatory diets may be associated with poor sleep outcomes (duration and quality); however, as the current literature is inconsistent and limited, further cross-sectional studies in larger cohorts are warranted to (i) explore this relationship to address this heterogeneity and (ii) explore populations that are more sensitive to diet-induced inflammation
Assessing Impact Amongst Chaplains in a University Setting: Phase Two of an Action Research Project
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Neither saintly nor psychotic:a narrative systematic review of the evolving Western perception of voice hearing
No full textWe present a social-historical perspective on the evolution of the voice-hearing phenomenon in Western society. Based upon a systematic search from a selection of nine databases, we trace the way hearing voices has been understood throughout the ages. Originally, hearing voices was considered a gifted talent for accessing the divine, but the progressive influence of monotheistic religion gradually condemned the practice to social marginalization. Later, the medical and psychiatric professions of secular society were instrumental in attaching stigma to both voice hearers and the phenomenon itself, thereby reinforcing social exclusion. More recently, the re-integration of voice hearers into the community by health authorities in various countries appears to have provided a new, socially acceptable setting for the phenomenon.</p
The use of drama in A Level chemistry: a study into the effects of simulation-role-play on the quality of learning of organic reaction mechanisms
No full textBackground: Much of the research into the use of drama in science education has been qualitative, with its primary focus being on its affective value amongst students aged 6–14 years, with a smaller fraction on effectiveness in terms of academic achievement and understanding of chemistry amongst older school students (16–18 years).Purpose: This article reports on a study that compared the effectiveness of drama, as a pedagogy, with a didactic practice examinations-questions-based approach on students’ understanding of chemistry organic reaction mechanisms as measured by examination question scores.Sample: Data were collected in seven 11–18 schools and a Further Education (FE) college in England, with a total of 236 students, aged 16–18 years, studying Advanced (A) Level chemistry. Each institution had two different classes studying chemistry concurrently.Design and methods: The research was a quasi-experimental intervention with one class of A Level chemistry students in each institution being taught an aspect of organic reaction mechanisms using drama and the second, non-drama, class being taught the same material using practice examination questions. Postintervention, all students completed previously unseen A Level examination questions and, in one phase of the study, a diagnostic question designed to probe deeper understanding. The responses were subject to statistical analysis.Results: In all cases there were no statistically significant differences between the test scores of the two groups for the answers to the examination questions. However, answers to a diagnostic question, probing deep level understanding, showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups in favour of the drama group.Conclusions: Whilst drama is at least as effective as the use of practice examination questions in the teaching and learning of organic reaction mechanisms it was statistically significantly more effective in terms of the development of deeper level conceptual understanding
