1,720,996 research outputs found
Saving ecopsychology from itself: the need for scientific enquiry
Get PDFThe rise of environmentalism as a cultural ethos has had an impact on psychology. The field of psychology has witnessed the emergence of ecopsychology. At the foundational level, there has been significant writing that roots ecopsychology theory with transpersonal psychology. Roszak’s (1992) pioneering work The Voice of the Earth has envisioned ecopsychology as a further exploration of humans’ spiritual link with nature. Such writings have resulted in a field of study heavily influenced by New Age and Eastern mystical traditions. But as a consequence, does that put ecopsychology in the domain of spirituality rather than psychology? This paper suggests ecopsychology would be better served by rooting itself in experimental
scientific psychology. Even when science is challenged as lacking depth, “Existential Experimental Psychology” (XXP) may build the bridge between the scientific methods
and the need for deeper meaning. This paper concludes that the theoretical foundations for ecopsychology must move beyond philosophy and spirituality and suggests XXP as a solution to maintaining scientific rigour while not losing meaning
Significant conversations with parents: a systematic review of interventions to support the communication of bad news in paediatric settings and a qualitative study of parental experiences of receiving a newborn diagnosis of cystic fibrosis
Get PDFBackground: Significant conversations with parents are a necessary and important part of healthcare. The delivery of bad or difficult news, such as the diagnosis of a chronic health condition, requires key communication skills. This is especially true for communication between healthcare professionals and parents in paediatric settings. It is important to understand parental experiences of these conversations and what can be done to help support and improve skills in this area.
Method: A systematic review evaluates studies assessing the effectiveness of interventions in improving breaking bad news skills. An empirical study uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of interviews with parents to gain an in-depth understanding of parental experiences of receiving a newborn diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (CF).
Results: The systematic review identified ten quantitative studies assessed to be of either moderate or high quality. Significant improvements in communication skills were found following nine of the ten interventions. These interventions shared some common features. In the empirical study, three superordinate themes emerged following interview analysis: Cognitive and Emotional Experiences; Connection; and Knowledge.
Conclusions: Findings from the review suggest that there are interventions that can improve communication skills in delivering bad news in paediatric settings. Parents in the empirical study clearly recalled the period of receiving a newborn diagnosis of CF as an emotional time. Health professionals’ communication and interpersonal skills seemed to play an important role in providing containment for families. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed
Resilience against death anxiety in relationship to post-traumatic stress disorder and psychiatric co-morbidity
Get PDFResearch was conducted examining death anxiety from existential, psychodynamic, cognitive and sociological perspectives. The intent was to consider the role of death anxiety on well-being; four studies were conducted to examine how death anxiety influenced PTSD and mental health among people who have experienced a life-threatening event. These studies were conducted using undergraduate university students in Lithuania. The first study used a mixed-method design and in phase 1, participants (N=97) completed self-report questionnaires that gathered information on demographics, death anxiety, trauma and well-being. Results indicated a significant correlation between death anxiety and PTSD, but not psychiatric co-morbidity. Phase 2 attempted to further explore the phenomenological experience of participants with full PTSD, and 6 semi-structured interviews were conducted. IPA analysis found three major themes in response to the life-threatening event; self-efficacy, religious coping and existential attitude. Subsequent studies were then conducted to understand these themes as possible factors of death anxiety resilience in regards to life-threatening events. The second study (N=109) examined the role of self-efficacy and found that it was significantly related to death anxiety and psychiatric co-morbidity, but not PTSD. The third study (N=104) examined religious coping, but did not find evidence to support its significance; however again self-efficacy emerged as significantly related to psychiatric co-morbidity and death anxiety. The fourth study (N=110) looked at the role of existential attitude via posttraumatic growth and sense of coherence. Although posttraumatic growth did influence PTSD, existential attitude was not a significant factor for death anxiety or outcomes. However, self-efficacy again emerged as related to death anxiety and psychiatric co-morbidity. In studies two to four, self-efficacy did not act as a mediating factor and was independently related to death anxiety and psychiatric co-morbidity. Results were discussed in light of theories regarding death anxiety and their application to clinical treatment
Illness perceptions in long-term conditions: examining differences within couples and the role of optimism
Get PDFPURPOSE:
The systematic review aimed to explore whether there were significant differences between patients’ illness perceptions and their spouses’ or partners’ illness perceptions and on what specific illness perception dimensions these differences exist. The empirical study aimed to explore the relationships between threat-related illness perceptions, optimism, problem-focused coping and demographic variables. The particular illness perception dimensions of interest were the illness consequences, illness identity and illness timeline dimensions. Specifically, the empirical study aimed to understand if optimism moderated the relationship between threat-related illness perceptions and problem-focused coping when controlling for age.
METHODS:
A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple electronic databases in order to identify studies that reported results from quantitative statistical analyses analysing the differences between patients’ and their spouses’ or partners’ illness perceptions. Methodological quality of the included studies was assessed by the application of quality criteria and the results from the studies were discussed in the context of methodological quality. For the empirical study, 93 participants were recruited from an NHS Cardiac Rehabilitation service. They completed self-report measures assessing illness perceptions, optimism, problem-focused coping and demographic variables online or by telephone. Correlational and moderation analyses were used to explore the relationships between variables.
RESULTS:
Twelve studies met eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review. There were significant differences between patients and spouses/partners, particularly on the illness control dimension. This finding was supported by the most consistent and methodologically strong evidence. Across the remaining illness perception dimensions, the consistency and methodological quality of the evidence was mixed. The empirical study highlighted from correlational analyses that perceiving more severe illness consequences and greater optimism were both associated with greater problem-focused coping. However, illness timeline and illness identity were not significantly correlated with
problem-focused coping. A moderation analysis demonstrated that optimism did not moderate the relationship between illness consequences and problem-focused coping when including age as a covariate.
CONCLUSIONS:
Both chapters illustrated the important role of illness perceptions in the context of long-term health conditions. The systematic review highlighted that further research is needed to understand impact of different illness perceptions on coping responses, physical and psychological outcomes. The empirical study outlined the importance of routinely assessing for illness perceptions within cardiac rehabilitation as this could inform the development of problem-focused coping. It also illustrated that optimism could be assessed as part of routine clinical practice within cardiac rehabilitation and targeted through intervention strategies that aim to increase optimism
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Visual connection: the role of video-sharing sites in shaping minority stress experiences for LGB individuals in Hong Kong and Macau
Get PDFINTRODUCTION:
Sexual minority communities, particularly those identifying as lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB), encounter heightened minority stress (MS) that negatively impacts their mental health. In Chinese communities, these stressors are uniquely intensified by cultural norms, traditional values, and social expectations, leading to increased social stigma and familial pressure not as prevalent in Western contexts. Despite the potential of video-sharing sites (VSS) to alleviate MS, the specific challenges faced by LGB individuals in these environments necessitate targeted research to understand and mitigate their unique experiences effectively.
BACKGROUND:
Existing research establishes the buffering effect of social identity (SI) against stress and links a negative attributional style (NAS) with increased psychological distress. The nuanced impact of use of LGBT video-sharing sites (ULV) on MS, primarily through the interplay of SI and NAS, remains to be fully elucidated. This gap highlights the need for a focused investigation into the potential mediating roles of SI and NAS in the relationship between ULV and MS reduction.
AIM AND MODEL DEVELOPMENT:
This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating the mediating roles of SI and NAS in how ULV influences MS among LGB individuals. A robust literature review has developed a conceptual model that proposes that ULV influences MS through a serial mediation of SI and NAS. This model hypothesises that ULV can enhance SI, which subsequently reduces NAS, thereby lowering MS.
METHODS:
The study employed a quantitative research design, gathering data from 220 Hong Kong and Macau LGB individuals. Participants were surveyed on their ULV, experiences of MS, levels of SI, and NAS. The survey included measures such as the Minority Stress Scale, Social Identity Scale for LGB individuals, and a Negative Attributional Style questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses and Hayes’s process for testing mediation hypotheses were key statistical tests used to explore the relationships between ULV, MS, SI, and NAS.
FINDINGS:
Results indicated a significant negative correlation between ULV and MS, demonstrating that higher ULV is associated with lower levels of MS. The analysis suggested that SI and NAS may serve as mediators in this relationship, with SI identified as a crucial mediator. Specifically, the findings indicate that ULV is positively associated with SI, which in turn is negatively associated with NAS, potentially leading to a reduction in MS. The mediating effect of NAS was significant only when preceded by an enhancement in SI, highlighting the importance of strengthening SI for reducing MS.
DISCUSSION:
This study expands our understanding of the mechanisms through which LGBT VSS may support LGB individuals in mitigating MS. It emphasises the critical role of fostering SI and provides evidence for the serial mediation model developed from the literature review. The findings suggest that future research explore additional factors that may influence the ULV-MS relationship and consider the integration of LGBT VSS into mental health support strategies for the LGB community.
CONCLUSION:
By highlighting the potential of LGBT VSS in associating with reduced MS through the enhancement of SI and the subsequent reduction in NAS, this research underscores the importance of such platforms in supporting the mental health of LGB individuals. It calls for the adoption of inclusive mental health policies and the inclusion of VSS in outreach and support strategies, offering a comprehensive framework for future research and practice aimed at improving the wellbeing of sexual minorities
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Get PDFWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
An interpretive phenomenological analysis of posttraumatic growth experiences amongst Filipino women in the UK
Get PDFBACKGROUND:
Post-traumatic growth (PTG), meaning the reported experiences of
positive change and growth following traumatic events, is gaining increasing attention
in the current trauma literature. Research has predominantly been conducted with
Western samples. Emerging studies are however, being conducted cross-culturally and
have begun highlighting cultural variations in the development and the reported rates and experiences of PTG amongst diverse samples. There is therefore a need to explore PTG amongst non-Western samples in regions such as Southeast Asia (SEA) where there is a high prevalence of traumatic events, and amongst survivors from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds to help inform further cultural understandings across different contexts.
METHOD:
A systematic review was conducted that explored reported rates, domains, and
factors associated with PTG amongst countries in SEA. A total of 14 studies were identified and quality was assessed with a standardised rating tool. A qualitative study
using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)was also conducted that explored
the lived experiences amongst Filipino migrants who are survivors of Intimate partner
violence (IPV). Six women recruited from the community organisation Kanlungan
participated in the empirical study.
RESULTS:
The studies included in the systematic review supported the presence of
reported PTG amongst their samples, however the representation across several countries and traumatic experiences within SEA were limited. While the studies varied
in the factors explored and in their associations with PTG, some patterns were identified
as facilitating PTG within this region. The presence of positive change and growth
experiences represented by three personal experiential themes of a Shift in mindset, a
Greater sense of self (in relation to self and others), and Greater meaningful relationships were developed from the qualitative study. PTG amongst the Filipino
women occurred within the context of their community.
CONCLUSION:
The presence of positive changes and growth is supported amongst culturally diverse samples, although further research is needed to clarify the domains that contribute to PTG, and associated factors that facilitate its development across further countries in SEA and across different types of traumatic events. Findings also
support the nuanced ways in which growth is developed and experienced amongst Filipino survivors of IPV, which highlights the importance of understanding growth
experiences across diverse groups and settings
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