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As the United States' population grows via migration and immigration, with this rise in diverse identities, there has been increasing concern regarding disparities for undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. with limited access to the health system. Given the various constraints involving communication and social structures that undocumented immigrants face, a culture-centered approach is drawn on to investigating how this group goes about navigating a dominant health system given their restricted access. I explore co-constructed themes that emerged through conversations with undocumented immigrants, (people without papers as I call them in this work) living in the United States to gain an understanding as to the structural and cultural limitations faced by this group. By doing qualitative semi-structured interviews with local participants living in the South Florida region, I describe the various features of a complex U.S. health system that undocumented immigrants (people without papers) deemed as important obstacles that limit their willingness to interact with official medical spaces. This work draws on narratives and accounts to shed light on the intersection of disparities this group has to overcome in order to consider entering a medical space to receive the treatment they might need. The findings of this article highlighted the structural violence that certain subaltern groups, such as people without papers experience due to their limited access to foundational systems in their environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Actual accounts of the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples since colonization remain largely misunderstood and misrepresented within Australian education systems and the broader social consciousness. Culturally sensitive practice and ethnic diversity are challenging topics to teach social work students when truth-telling is absent. Social workers need to develop an understanding of intergenerational trauma experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, critically reflect on perpetuated stereotypes, and confront internalized beliefs about peoples of diverse ethnic and cultural identities in preparation to work respectfully with Indigenous communities. A course focused on building students' knowledge and skills for culturally responsive practice is described in this paper, along with suggestions for enhancing teaching and learning. The paper argues for the importance of truth-telling about Australia's continuing racism in social work education to create cultural safety for service users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience is an important attribute of incident management teams (IMTs) for managing disasters. Previous research on resilience of IMTs has focused on comparing work-as-imagined (WAI) and work-as-done (WAD) but predominantly used narrative analyses which limited comparisons between IMTs. This paper presents a novel Interaction Episode Analysis (IEA) method to identify the IMT's WAI and WAD episodes by analyzing dynamic interactions that occur between different roles that carry out information management tasks. Observations and audio--visual recordings of two high-fidelity IMT exercises were conducted to capture WAD episodes, and semi-structured interviews with experts elicited corresponding WAI episodes. Quantitative analyses using five interaction-based measures were conducted to detect differences of the WAD episodes between two IMTs. Next, qualitative analyses were focused on identifying reasons why such differences have occurred by comparing the gaps between WAI and WAD episodes. Some of the reasons for WAI-WAD gaps included the non-occurrence of critical interactions that were expected and occurrence of unexpected interactions between IMT members. This paper also identifies cases of preparatory, proactive, and reactive performance adjustment that characterizes IMT resilience. The IEA method shows promise for investigating how and why the gaps between WAI and WAD in IMTs occur. With the identification of these gaps, future research can be conducted to reconcile the gaps between WAI and WAD episodes, and thus enhance resilience of IMTs in future disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquiring information about one's child's cancer diagnosis is a complex and ever-changing process, and parents' needs change over time. As yet, we know little about what information parents require at different stages of their child's illness. This paper is part of a larger randomized control trial studying the parent-centered information given to mothers and fathers. The aim of this paper was to describe the topics addressed in person-centered meetings between nurses and parents of children with cancer and how those changed over time. Using qualitative content analysis, we analyzed nurses' written summaries of 56 meetings with 16 parents and then computed for each topic the percentage of parents who brought it up at any time during the intervention. The main categories were Child's disease and treatment (addressed by 100% of parents), Consequences of treatment (88%), Emotional management for the child (75%), Emotional management for the parent (100%), Social life of the child (63%), and Social life of the parent (100%). Different topics were addressed at different points in time, and fathers raised more concerns about the child's emotional management and the consequences of treatment than mothers. This paper suggests that parental information demands change over time and differ between fathers and mothers, implying that information should be person-centered. Registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02332226). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The experience of workplace violence and aggression is a common occurrence among the nursing and midwifery workforce, however, it is largely under-reported. Reasons for underreporting are not well understood. Aim: To review factors that influence nurses' and midwives' reporting of workplace violence and aggression from patients and visitors in hospital inpatient settings. Method: In this integrative review papers were identified through a search of electronic databases Embase, Emcare, PsychInfo, Medline, and CINAHL for literature between 2009 and 2020. Findings: Five papers met the inclusion criteria. Three themes were identified which influence reporting: organisational culture; accepting violence as part of the job; and type of violence. Discussion: Workplace policies supported by management and education programmes are required to improve the reporting of workplace violence and aggression by nurses and midwives. Conclusion: Workplace violence and aggression is under-reported by nurses and midwives in hospital inpatient settings. Reporting systems are not valued and nurses have come to accept workplace violence and aggression. Further research is required to explore strategies to improve workplace violence and aggression reporting culture and assess current education programmes using validated tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how neoliberal ideologies inform both social and political agendas that influence how social workers can provide support to trans and gender diverse people attempting to access gender-affirming healthcare, using an analysis of social workers' experiences working in mental health in Nova Scotia, Canada. Qualitative semi-structured interviews provide a perspective of the experiences of social workers in Nova Scotia and how their ability to provide mental health services to trans and gender diverse people is impacted by neoliberalism. Most social workers attributed the structural context of working within a bio-medical system as contributing to social workers being disempowered, undermined, and not able to practice according to the values of their profession thus limiting their ability to provide affirming mental health supports to trans and gender diverse people in ways that align with their social work professional ethics and values. Through examining how neoliberal ideologies create notions of ideal social citizens by controlling the body, the paper explores how lived experience of neoliberal practices in mental health social work reinforce transnormativity. This paper highlights the necessity for social workers to resist dominant neoliberal and medicalized discourses which serve as mechanisms of power and control. The paper concludes with recommendations for social work practice with trans and gender diverse populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review of the existing qualitative research literature concerning people's experience of communicating using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The aims of conducting this review were to find out more about the values and outcomes that are important to people about the AAC they use to support their communication. This review was conducted to provide a deeper understanding of these experiences to inform the development of a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM). A qualitative evidence synthesis of existing qualitative research literature was undertaken to explore and appraise current knowledge about the experiences of people who use AAC. From 115 qualitative research reports 19 papers were identified that responded directly to the research question and aims of the review. Data were identified that could be organized within an a priori framework consisting of the constructs of values, outcomes, and context. The review has resulted in a deeper, analytical understanding of the experiences of people who require AAC. The results indicate a set of concepts that can be used to inform the development of a PROM. A PROM can be used to assist clinicians and researchers to better understand the perspectives of people who require AAC and evaluate interventions. The results also encourage professionals to reconsider the terminology and methods used when working alongside people who require AAC and to reflect on the multidimensional factors that influence people's experience of communication. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) can be useful tools to support clinician-patient communication, facilitate shared decision making and establish priorities for rehabilitation. It can be difficult to engage people who have complex communication difficulties in decisions about the important outcomes to them from using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). This qualitative evidence synthesis provides a deeper understanding of the experiences and perspectives of people who use AAC. The results will be used to inform the development of a PROM which can be used to facilitate shared decision-making, and evaluate AAC interventions from the perspective of the people who use these technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current speech-language pathology (SLP) services in Cambodia are limited in scope, service accessibility and integration into government systems. However, momentum is growing to develop an internationally recognised profession. This paper examines the depth and breadth of SLP support available to people with communication and/or swallowing difficulties in relation the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Qualitative interview data collected from service facilities (n = 13) and speech therapy practitioners (n = 27) were mapped and analysed for accessibility and scope of SLP services. Data revealed a workforce density of 0.16:100 000. Disparity in service accessibility was identified between provincial and urban locations, adult and paediatric populations and range of practice areas. The findings demonstrate the importance of partnerships (SDG 17) among government departments, non-government organisations and private sector entities to establish a sustainable and culturally responsive SLP profession in Cambodia. Although there is no Cambodian university training program, there is a growing momentum and local commitment to establishing a workforce to support Cambodians with communication and/or swallowing difficulties. This commentary paper focuses on good health and well-being (SDG 3), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), and also addresses no poverty (SDG 1), quality education (SDG 4) and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article traces the origin, sustenance and implications of a persistent rumour that is responsible for low measles mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination uptake in the Somali diaspora in a number of countries across the globe. The rumour stipulates that the MMR vaccine – the silent shot – causes autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although the association between MMR and ASD is non-causal, and various public health initiatives have promoted health information campaigns, the rumour continues to circulate in the Somali diaspora in many countries, including Sweden. This paper shows that there are valid reasons for this. The findings from this paper draw on a systematic scoping review and qualitative interview data from Sweden. The results show that the Somali community experiences higher than average rates of ASD compared to the general population. Moreover, ASD does not exist in the Somali language or their home country, is considered a Western disease that only affects Somali children in the diaspora, and is a highly stigmatised disease. Also, the Somali diaspora has had negative experiences with ASD diagnosis and care. The rumour has been sustained by the absence of an answer to their ASD fear and through active diaspora networks on social media. The network that surrounds the rumour has arguably further helped to create an epistemic community for a community whose concerns have been silenced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic low back pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide. A clinical model for its cause is lacking. Defining a cause based clinical model and a framework of understanding back pain in terms of peripheral structural and central functional pain is essential for optimal management. We describe the results of the largest published audit of 41 chronic low back pain patients, receiving outpatient sublingual ketamine therapy for defined central functional pain along with conventional peripheral structural pain management. Our clinical model assigns Movement Dysfunction as the primary cause for low back pain symptoms and restores it with Movement Therapy focused rehabilitation which is also defined. Patients were derived from a tertiary single neurosurgical specialist practice in Brisbane Australia over a three year period. Severe pain and disability measurements more than halved and only 13% of patients ceased ketamine prematurely due to predominantly non-sinister side effects common to all pharmaceutical therapies. All other surveyed metrics of utility were highly favourable in this challenging cohort of chronic back pain patients biased to poor outcomes. Outpatient ketamine maintains high efficacy and safety used in conjunction with a unique clinical model that describes chronic low back pain. This paper builds on our previous publications that describe the disease of movement dysfunction as an integral factor to the development of a cause based clinical model for the condition of chronic low back pain symptoms. Our clinical application of this model, applying the necessary dual approach of controlling symptoms arising from peripheral structural pain and central functional pain in conjunction with elimination of root causation has shown favourable outcomes in patients with high levels of pain and disability based on their tertiary referral origin and high Oswestry Disability Scores. Removing chronic low back pain from its position as one of the world's leading causes of pain and disability is more likely if the rehabilitation industry can replicate and test treatment algorithms based around established clinical models of disease which is the important subject of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how social workers integrate personal spirituality within nursing homes, where a highly regulated, stressful environment marginalizes professional identity and challenges retention. Researchers offer new evidence of how spirituality informs professional identity, ethical practice, and continuation in the role. Twenty BSW/MSW licensed nursing home social workers (NHSWs) reported how they daily navigate the personal spirituality-at-work opportunity and challenge. Qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews resulted in three primary codes and related subcodes: Spirituality-Integrated Professional Identity (Vocational Affirmation and Value Alignment), Spirituality-Informed Practice (Intervention Asset, Relational Affinity, and Ambiguous Boundaries), and Spiritually-Sustained Career Resilience. Respondents reported how spirituality animated professional identity, informed daily role enactment, and sustained role involvement. Recommendations are provided for normalizing ethical spirituality-at-work through social work education and practical guidance in navigating the spirituality and practice space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults face distinct challenges amidst changing neighborhood conditions, yet also bring distinct resources to aid their communities. After considering the literature related to well-being in older adulthood, the effects of neighborhood change on older adults, and older adults and social action, this paper explores the experiences of older adults in the Neighborhood Story Project. This action research project engages a group of neighbors to identify a set of research questions about their community, conduct place-based inquiry, and take action based on their learning. This study considers the degree to which the Neighborhood Story Project constitutes a macro therapeutic intervention. Drawing on observational and interview data with participants in seven Neighborhood Story Projects, this study explores the resources older adults brought to the project, what they personally gained from participating, and how their work benefited the broader community. The paper concludes with implications for macro-therapeutic interventions with older adults living through neighborhood change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an ethnographic and qualitative exploration of how resident-driven mapping shapes our understanding of place and space in a changing environment. Conducted from 2018 to 2022, the study collaboratively engaged community members in mapping exercises, which helped inform the study and its purpose to uncover their complex feelings related to changes in the neighborhood, including the light rail expansion. By "hanging out" with the community and embracing a participatory research stance, the study unveiled a nuanced understanding of how residents make sense of space and place in an evolving context. This paper sheds light on the dynamic interplay between space, place, and identity. The mapping component served as a counterpoint to traditional top-down power dynamics, allowing residents to visually articulate their boundaries of South Phoenix. As the co-collaborators' maps challenged government-issued maps, the project highlighted the agency of Latinas/os in redefining spatial narratives. The incorporation of mapping, often overlooked in empirical literature, has emerged as a tool of resistance and empowerment, giving voice to historically marginalized perspectives. By integrating spatial analysis into the study of community dynamics, this paper's findings contribute to a more holistic understanding of the impact of urban development on identity and sense of place. It underscores the importance of collaborative, bottom-up approaches in research and planning processes, emphasizing the role of spatial perceptions in shaping lived experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astronauts undergoing long-duration space flights (LDSF) often experience a unique set of neuro-ocular findings known as Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS). However, the exact mechanisms and the true incidence of SANS remain unclear. This paper aims to review the existing literature on SANS, focusing on its incidence and sequence of findings, and to provide a comprehensive understanding of this condition. Studies reporting SANS and optic disc edema in astronauts from PubMed, Scopus, and WOS have been collected. Eligible studies were selected based on stringent inclusion criteria. Statistical analysis utilized R software with random effect models for them, and heterogeneity was assessed using I2 and chi-squared tests. Our study includes 19 studies that met the inclusion criteria, which encompassed 294 participants. Included studies revealed that optic disc edema and choroidal folds were highly prevalent, with proportions of 75% and 71%, respectively. Hyperopic shifts (95%CI 0.51, 0.76, I2 = 0%) were also statistically significant, appearing gradually and persisting even after astronauts returned to Earth. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of SANS in astronauts. The study suggests that the current clinical definition of SANS may underestimate its true incidence and proposes the inclusion of quantitative metrics to enhance sensitivity and accuracy in diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been growing concerns that social distancing and stay-at-home mandates have exacerbated loneliness for older people. Empirical evidence about older people's experiences of loneliness and COVID-19 have quantified this phenomena without considering how older people themselves define and understand loneliness. This paper explores how older New Zealanders conceptualized and experienced loneliness under 'lockdown' stay-at-home measures. This multi-methods qualitative study combines data from letters (n = 870) and interviews (n = 44) collected from 914 people aged over 60 and living in Aotearoa, New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a reflexive thematic analysis to conceptualise this data. We identify three interconnected ways in which older people conceptualised and experienced loneliness: (1) feeling disconnected relating to lack of emotional closeness to another often resulting from being physically separated from others and not being able to touch; (2) feeling imprisoned relating to separation from preferred identities and activities and was frequently associated with boredom and frustration; and (3) feeling neglected which often related to feeling let down by generalised and idealised forms of support, such as one's neighbourhood and health care system. Older New Zealanders experienced lockdown loneliness in three interconnected ways rather than as a stable and homogenous experience. Māori, Pacific, Asian and New Zealand European older people often discussed loneliness in different ways; attesting to loneliness being a culturally-mediated concept shaped by expectations around desirable social interaction. We conclude the paper with implications for research and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug overdose deaths in Texas have been accelerating in recent years with an increase of 33% in the 12 months leading up to December 2020. Accurate counts of nonfatal overdoses – including associated aspects of overdose, such as substances involved, demographic information, and reversal agents administered is critical to increase timely and adequate response to individuals and communities in need. Methods: Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with harm reduction workers across four Texas counties to understand existing methods of reporting overdoses, naloxone dissemination/administration, and recommendations for improving overdose surveillance. Interviews were transcribed and emergent themes were identified based on the a priori research goals. Results: Findings highlighted a variety of overdose data collection methods and tools among harm reduction organizations including Excel spreadsheet, web-based TONI application, notes on personal cell phones, and paper notes. Types of overdose data collected varied widely. Participants noted existing methods are suboptimal and that there is a need for a unified, statewide reporting system to improve overdose data capture. Participants also highlighted that overdose surveillance should include "hidden populations" of people who use drugs that are not currently counted in surveillance methods as a result of not interacting with the healthcare system. Conclusions: Texas lacks a unified overdose reporting system to capture critical data to inform overdose response and prevention efforts. Nontraditional reporters may be critical toward improving overdose syndromic efforts and capturing data among hard-to-reach populations. Harm reduction organizations are uniquely positioned to facilitate reporting among community gatekeepers and people who use drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper synthesises critique from Māori patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD) and their whānau to identify barriers and propose changes to improve the structure and function of the New Zealand mental health system. A qualitative Kaupapa Māori Research methodology was used. Twenty-four semi-structured interviews were completed with Māori patients with BD and members of their whānau. Structural, descriptive and pattern coding was completed using an adapted cultural competence framework to organise and analyse the data. Three key themes identified the impact of structural features of the New Zealand mental health system on health equity for Māori with BD. Themes involved the accessibility, delivery and scope of the current health system, and described how structural features influenced the quality, utility and availability of BD services for Māori patients and whānau. Structural barriers in the existing design, and potential changes to improve the accessibility, delivery and scope of BD services for Māori, were proposed including a redesign of operational, environmental, staffing, and navigation points (information, transition, fatigue) to better meet the needs of Māori with BD. A commitment to equity when implementing structural change is needed, including ongoing evaluation and refinement. This paper provides specific recommendations that should be considered in health service redesign to ensure the New Zealand mental health system meets the needs of Māori patients with BD and their whānau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recovery-oriented mental health care approach is gaining acceptance in Asian countries, including Singapore. Following Western countries, Singapore started hiring peer support specialists (PSS) as part of mental healthcare services. The aim of this paper was to explore and understand how individual peer support specialists in Singapore perceive and make sense of their role given their unique perspective as both recipients and providers of mental healthcare treatment. Six PSS in Singapore were interviewed utilizing a semi-structured interview schedule. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four superordinate themes were generated illustrating how PSS viewed their role: embracing and embodying recovery, balancing on a bridge, impossible without support, and helping to end stigma. Findings also illustrated participants' awareness of the nature of the job and the role of PSS as still in the infancy stage. They embraced a recovery-oriented mindset despite experiencing stigma from professionals and/or their social support. The need to understand familial attitudes towards the PSS role is discussed. The limitations, contributions to the research, and several areas for future research are also outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper explores the mental health and wellbeing outcomes of a massed community choir program in Australia. Methods: This study employed a mixed methods approach. Data were collected via a survey of choir participants (N = 305), four qualitative interviews and focus groups with facilitators and participants (N = 22), and two workshops with organising staff (N = 5). Questions were derived from a co-designed program logic, and data were triangulated and analysed thematically. Results: Participants reported feeling a sense of connectedness (psychological), but also experiencing connection (social) with their fellow singers. Psychological outcomes included the sensations of affect, arousal, and affirmation. Social outcomes included experiencing belonging, inclusion, and sharing. These positive psycho- social experiences promoted positive mental health and wellbeing outcomes in the large group of participating singers. Conclusions: This paper addresses gaps in our understanding about the mental health and wellbeing outcomes fostered by community choirs at scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented natural experiment in drug policy, treatment delivery, and harm reduction strategies by exposing wide variation in public health infrastructures and social safety nets around the world. Using qualitative data including ethnographic methods, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews with people who use drugs (PWUD) and Delphi-method with experts from field sites spanning 13 different countries, this paper compares national responses to substance use during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Field data was collected by the Substance Use x COVID-19 (SU x COVID) Data Collaborative, an international network of social scientists, public health scientists, and community health practitioners convened to identify and contextualise health service delivery models and social protections that influence the health and wellbeing of PWUD during COVID-19. Findings suggest that countries with stronger social welfare systems pre-COVID introduced durable interventions targeting structural drivers of health. Countries with fragmented social service infrastructures implemented temporary initiatives for PWUD led by non-governmental organisations. The paper summarises the most successful early pandemic responses seen across countries and ends by calling for greater systemic investments in social protections for PWUD, diversion away from criminal-legal systems toward health interventions, and integrated harm reduction, treatment and recovery supports for PWUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health care providers have highlighted the need for tools and resources that support promotion of exercise behavior within comprehensive multiple sclerosis (MS) care. This study involved a final quality improvement evaluation of exercise promotion models and materials for inclusion within this setting. Our research team distributed a paper-based survey containing Likert scales, open answer questions, and copies of the models for editing. We distributed this survey among health care providers across the United States. We conducted a novel mixed-methods analysis evaluating quantitative, qualitative, and creative data. We received completed surveys from 13 health care providers who strongly rated the clarity and applicability of the models and materials, and reported that no major improvements were necessary. The minor improvements were specific per comprehensive MS care center. The feedback indicated that the "Exercise in Medicine" models and materials are guides such that the processes should be integrated into real world practice by amending roles and responsibilities with the team members and structure per comprehensive MS care center. This paper presents finalized models and materials for exercise promotion within comprehensive MS care that are ready to be tested for feasibility and efficacy in a clinical trial. Health care providers require support to promote exercise within the context of comprehensive MS care. The practice models in this article provide guides regarding how to promote exercise in this context. Implementing these exercise promotion guides can reduce the burden of neurologists, and ensure patients receive exercise support from appropriate providers. These guides should be implemented within the context of each individual care center, and not as an explicit step by step guide as each care center is unique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging research supports that some former collegiate athletes (FCAs) can become physically inactive after retiring from sport, which can exacerbate unfavorable changes in long-term health. While researchers have addressed transitional difficulties FCAs may experience after retiring, little empirical evidence exists on how to promote healthy post-sport physical activity (PA) levels for those who are insufficiently active. Because of FCAs' past sports training, considering their opinions for effective PA program components may be beneficial in early stages of behavioral intervention development. As such, 17 insufficiently active former National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes engaged in semi-structured interviews exploring their post-sport PA experiences and perceptions of effective program characteristics. Using Consensual Qualitative Research procedures, five domains were constructed. Three domains were discussed in a previous article; this paper overviews the remaining two, which describe participants' opinions of what would effectively promote PA in their population: (a) a desire for an 'athletics-lite' atmosphere in an FCA-targeted intervention, and (b) using technology to positively engage former athletes in their PA transition. While participants believed an athletics-based program where they are provided feedback and individualized workouts would be effective in maintaining PA, this may indicate underdeveloped autonomy in some FCAs regarding PA maintenance post-sport. Initially utilizing college sports personnel in a program may aid FCAs at risk of inactivity in transferring skills used in sport to independent PA maintenance after retiring. Further, the introduction and use of technology may help facilitate self-monitoring of progress, social support, and individualization when external resources are unavailable. Lay summary: Seventeen, inactive former college athletes (FCAs) were interviewed to understand enablers for promoting physical activity (PA) in their population. Utilizing sport/exercise personnel to help FCAs become more autonomous in their behavior and promoting self-monitoring through technology may help those in this population who struggle to maintain PA post-sport. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: On-campus programs should consider involving athletics personnel (e.g., coaches, athletic trainers, certified mental performance consultants) and, pending available resources, outside experts (e.g., exercise physiologists) to deliver techniques, strategies, and education to explicitly support retiring student-athletes in maintaining PA after retirement. The perceived need for an athletics atmosphere, such as a coach-figure and teammates to be competitive with, may indicate underdeveloped autonomy for maintaining PA in insufficiently active FCAs. While athletics personnel may be useful in early promotion of PA, programs should strive to help them build more self-determined forms of motivation and be self-sufficient in maintaining PA post-sport. Programs may consider promoting the maintenance of PA to students-athletes via the use of wearable devices, PA applications, and online resources to promote self-monitoring of behavior, facilitate social support, and provide education on healthy PA practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fun and social affiliation are good predictors of long-term intention to use game-based interventions including those for motivating physical activity, yet current player matching algorithms are poor at facilitating social connectedness. In this paper, we report on the results of a study investigating how different player traits are associated with interest in social features of an exercise game for improving player experience through better player matching using common and complementary characteristics. Twelve conceptual scenarios were illustrated using storyboards and data was collected from 196 respondents who rated their attitudes and preferences towards gamification elements. Correlational results showed that all scenarios, except for cutting corners, were perceived as persuasive, enjoyable, engaging and are likely to increase future exercise intention for players who score high on Philanthropist- and Socialiser-oriented traits. Results also showed that many players favour the altruistic donation feature. Furthermore, qualitative results underscore that it is the player's partner that matters more than the players' personalities. We conclude with practical recommendations for designing more personalised exercise games that can include more socially engaging game mechanics in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expectation for universities to support students' employability through work-integrated learning placements demands investigation into how opportunities are inclusive to students from a diversity of backgrounds. In this paper, we explore the experiences of students with disabilities during work placements, drawing on qualitative data collected through six focus groups with students (n = 27). Analysed through the frame of stigma, the results show how students bear an unfair burden of responsibility in their placement experiences, as they shoulder consequential decisions to disclose and/or request accommodations to support their learning. In this study, work placement environments were often somewhat hostile, both in relation to their built environments but also through the bias and/or prejudice of others. The results shed light on the difficulties that students with disabilities face in their placements and underscore how educational equity is multi-layered, requiring scrutiny of the student life-course including access to opportunities in professional fields. Points of interest: Despite work integrated placements often being positioned as opportunities for students to 'try out' authentic work experiences during their time at university, placements are not inclusive to students with disabilities. Students with disabilities shoulder an unfair responsibility in their work placement experiences, where they must negotiate the decision of disclosure and/or request for accommodations. Students reported hostile work placement environments, and cultures of exclusion, demanding more investigation into how universities can ensure safe and appropriate learning environments for students on placement. Students recommend greater education and training for placement teams (i.e., academic unit chairs, professional coordinators) and industry supervisors to reduce stigma and combat entrenched assumptions about disability. Universities themselves must also reflect and act on how to support inclusive cultures, including supporting training and policy that embed a strengths-based lens of disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As policymakers globally recognize aging in place as the preferred option for most adults, there is a growing need to supplement family or informal caregiving for frail older adults with formal homecare services, particularly for those who require 24/7 care due to significant physical and/or cognitive impairment. The core objective of this qualitative study was to explore family members' experiences in employing live-in care workers, particularly the nature of their engagement and the quality of their relationships with these care workers. Our analysis of semi-structured interviews with 35 family caregivers revealed four themes: 1) challenges in acquiring support and developing dependency; 2) negotiation of roles, responsibilities, and moral dilemmas; 3) shifting emotions between trust and suspicion; and 4) role confusion, expectations, and disappointments. The study suggests that families might benefit from formal guidance regarding fostering and maintaining positive relationships in the homecare environment. This paper provides nuanced knowledge that may inform the development of such interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definitions of adulthood for people with intellectual disability are often complicated, with milestones being markedly different for this population. This is then associated with difficulties for both the people with intellectual disability and their parents, who are closely involved in this transitional period. This paper aims to report on parents' perception and experience of adulthood for their son or daughter with an Intellectual Disability (ID). Qualitative data were collected through 30 − 60-minute phone interviews with eight parents of a person with an intellectual disability aged 15 or older (mean parent age = 60; mean child age = 23). Thematic analysis found that Perception of Adulthood encompassed themes of Independence and Normality. Experiences of Adulthood were categorised under Government Services, Responsibility and Social Supports. Findings of this research provide information for the growing literature around adulthood for people with intellectual disability, as well as how to amend policies and procedures for services that cater to people with intellectual disability and their parents during this transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often have mobility limitations; these may include challenges with balance and being at high risk of falling. Risk of falling can be reduced through exercise programs targeting balance; however, older adults with COPD may experience many barriers to exercise adherence. In this paper we present qualitative findings about the feasibility of a six-month home-based fall-prevention exercise program for older adults with COPD. The aim of the study is to describe the experiences of older adults with COPD who participated in a home-based fall prevention exercise program in order to determine their perceived facilitators and barriers to participation. 15 participants with COPD who had completed the six-month home-based program participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews over the phone. Interpretive description methodology and thematic analysis were used. Two major themes emerged with respect to participants' perspectives of the intervention and facilitators and barriers to participation: program personalization based on each individual's characteristics, lifestyles, and preferences; and self-motivation and support from family, friends, and healthcare providers. Fall prevention exercise programs that are personalized and focus on providing support for older adults with COPD may help to improve adherence and reduce participants' risk of falling. Individuals with COPD often have balance problems and a high risk of falling. Fall prevention programs can improve balance, but adherence is a commonly cited challenge. Patient experiences suggest that fall prevention programs should be personalized and incorporate social support to improve adherence to fall prevention exercises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergency situations such as pandemics typically widen inequities, and Australian children and young people with disability already face significant inequities in the education system. In this paper we draw on survey data from over 700 respondents exploring education experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many families reported being left behind, finding it difficult to access education remotely, and that this was having a significant impact on wellbeing and mental health. We find that of all support offered by schools, social supports have a stronger association with learner engagement than educational interventions. This finding indicates the importance of social and emotional supports in learning. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted education for most learners; There is good evidence to suggest this impact is felt more keenly by students with disability, because there is disability discrimination in the Australian education system; This paper reports survey responses from over 700 families of students with disability exploring the impact of COVID-19 on education; Many families report being left behind and that students found it difficult to learn away from the school campus, which for many students and families led to poorer wellbeing and mental health; Our results suggest that supporting students to have social contact with peers made the biggest impact on students with disability feeling engaged with learning during this time. This shows it is important for teachers and schools to pay attention to social as well as educational aspects of school life when thinking about how to educate students with disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers of community health worker (CHW) models in many countries are looking for ways to scale without losing one of their main advantages, their context-sensitivity. This paper looks at one research strategy to make CHW projects scalable, namely by developing a generic notion of culture-sensitivity. Based on in-depth qualitative analysis, we reconstruct how 'culture' has been enshrined in a US-based CHW project and specifically in the artefact of a binder with teaching materials for vulnerable mothers. The inscription of generalized, culture-sensitive spaces into the binder did allow the Project to comply with standards of evidence-based medicine while respecting community self-determination and made space for creative and competent CHW practices. Yet at the same time, it took away from more substantive conceptions of community engagement and from community empowerment through CHWs. Our analysis highlights how the focus on culture can invisibilise and displace the importance of competent CHW practice and processes of community engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is much discussion in the literature regarding the role public child welfare has played in disproportionately intervening with children and families of color, and debate regarding how this has impacted their wellbeing and the role systemic racism has played. The voice of individuals serving as regional and state-level administrators of public child welfare agencies regarding this topic and how to address existing inequities has been missing in this dialogue. This paper reports on semi-structured interviews conducted with sixteen such administrators regarding where they have observed these issues in their agencies and a wide array of strategies they believe have the best likelihood of promoting racial equity and antiracist practice in the child welfare system, with some describing approaches currently being implemented. Participants discussed what they need from community and university partners to support this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assistive technologies have allowed people with disabilities to perform daily tasks with greater independence and autonomy, especially for visually impaired people. Using smart home solutions allows these users to control their homes with less cognitive and physical demand. However, making such applications accessible to meet the needs of visually impaired users, especially in developing countries, remains a challenge. This paper investigates the perceptions of these users about home automation technologies through semi-structured interviews. A total of 20 visually impaired people participated in the interviews. A thematic analysis revealed results concerning the following themes: (1) how people go about their lives at home and around, how people interact with current appliances, objects and environments, (3) how people perceive their attitude to technologies, (4) the Brazilian context of smart homes, (5) what people think smart homes should do and (6) envisaging ways of interacting with smart home systems. The results obtained provide significant insight into the needs of visually-impaired people in Brazil, with analysis of issues that are common with previous studies in more developed countries and specific issues that have important particularities and implications in Brazil and other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the extent to which collaborative peer observation of teaching (POT) as a process for teacher professional development could enhance collegiality and collaboration among academics. A single case study was conducted to investigate academics' perceptions of their POT experience in the Vietnamese context. Purposive sampling was applied to select eleven academics at a university. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with individual participants and inductively thematically analysed. The findings show that reciprocal POT and collaborative discourse were perceived to nurture collegiality and collaboration between peers and facilitate their reflection and learning about teaching. Eight participants reported that POT made their peer relationships develop to a collegial relationship due to mutual trust and respect. However, there existed concerns in the peer relationship perceived by three other academics who did not develop collegiality. These findings suggest that to promote academics' willingness and quality engagement in POT, it is necessary to allow academics to decide on the peer dynamics that work for them. It is also crucial to develop a supportive, constructive, and collegial culture whereby academics value POT as a scholarship of teaching. Further research may need to examine the impacts of potential contextual factors in the implementation of POT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For human services professionals, safety is a practical and professional commitment. However, so far the human service community has made little use of the safety science literature. Using qualitative methods this paper tracks how the introduction of a safety science model to the human service organizations in two states resulted in shifts in talk about accidents and work. This in turn led to insight and positive change in these human service organizations and for their clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has suggested that older trans and gender non-conforming (TGNC) people may face particular challenges related to stigma, social exclusion and discrimination in later life. However, direct data on social support and needs in older TGNC population both internationally and within the UK is limited due to the small, dispersed nature of this population, and the absence of specific data collection on aging TGNC populations. During the UK COVID-19 lockdown in summer 2020, older people and those with long-term health conditions were advised to adopt particular precautions. This study aimed to explore older TGNC people's social support networks, key concerns and unmet needs during the COVID-19 'lockdown'. A UK cross-sectional survey of LGBT + people aged 60+ (n = 375) was undertaken during the lockdown. This paper analyses responses from the subset (n = 38) of TGNC participants. The majority of TGNC respondents described diverse social networks, often centered around friends and non-kin social networks, although partners and adult children were also significant for some. In most cases, those with existing strong networks continued to maintain social connections during lockdown, albeit with some regrets about loss of activities and face-to-face connection. However, a minority of respondents had experienced greater challenges prior to lockdown, and may have been at increased vulnerability during the pandemic, for example indicating that they had no-one to call on for practical support in an emergency. When asked about unmet needs and challenges, social isolation was repeatedly raised as the most frequent concern. Several respondents also mentioned issues specifically affecting TGNC communities, including access to gender affirming care and a perceived rise in social intolerance. Health and social care providers should be aware of the diversity of support networks within TGNC communities. There may also be benefits in community sector interventions to help older TGNC build and maintain strong social networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incivility within social work education reflects patterns seen across higher education and within society. Previous work has found that social work faculty are reluctant to report incivility and have limited confidence in their ability to address it effectively. In order to address potential solutions, this paper uses qualitative data (n = 164) drawn from a larger survey of social work faculty in the United States. The exploratory analysis focuses on strategies social work faculty use when experiencing incivility and bullying themselves, and methods recommended by social work faculty to confront incivility administratively and systemically within the social work academy. Responses were coded into four themes: values-based responses, leadership/institutional responses, individual and faculty level responses, and faculty disengagement. These themes suggest opportunities and recommendations to move toward a civil social work academy. Academic faculty expect institutional leadership to have the skills to acknowledge and address incidents of incivility in the workplace. Social work faculty suggest a combination of values-based responses that tie workplace behavior and culture to professional values, institutional responses that support accountability and formal recognition for prosocial behavior, and establishing and maintaining positive relationships in the workplace. Social work faculty acknowledge and affirm the individual ethical mandate to address injurious workplace behavior and challenge institutional systems and patterns that reinforce workplace incivility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In previous research on aging and place, it comes forward that many people mainly prefer to age in place because they feel connected to their homes and secure in a familiar environment. This paper aims to understand how older adults living independently at home construct their residential happiness. We used photo-elicitation to explore how objects and places are considered important for their residential happiness by older adults (n = 37) in various residential settings in The Netherlands. The findings demonstrate that places and objects either directly evoke unique feelings of residential happiness or via attached personal stories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's experience of harm and abuse has a profound impact on their health and well-being. In response, school-based prevention programmes have been developed and delivered by external organisations with the aim of improving children's awareness and understanding of forms of harm and abuse which may affect them, encouraging them to seek help if needed. In September 2020, Relationships Education became statutory within the primary school curriculum in England and this ratification is likely to increase demand for externally delivered classroom-based programmes, which address the broad range of topics to be covered within this field. However, evidence is required to understand the impact and acceptability of such programmes. This paper presents qualitative findings from a larger mixed-methods study. Focus group discussions with 29 children explored their responses to one Healthy Relationships programme delivered to primary school children aged 10 and 11 in England. Analysis focuses specifically on responses to the topics of sexual abuse prevention and help-seeking. Children's widespread support for the programme indicates that topics are relevant and the opportunity to explore these issues is valued. However, for effective programme implementation, schools and parents need to be prepared, and prevention messages should continue to be embedded throughout children's school lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology can enable efficient, effective, and independent performance of daily occupations and enhance social and leisure participation. This paper describes the findings of a qualitative study exploring iPad use during daily activities among adults with low vision. Five women who previously participated in a group iPad intervention participated in the study. Thematic analysis revealed 5 main themes: integration of the iPad into daily routine, benefits and barriers of the iPad, psychosocial factors, preferences regarding iPad use, and group instruction in individual iPad use. Group instruction may be a viable intervention option in low vision rehabilitation to improve occupational participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spanish legislation obliges the public administration to ensure equal opportunities and support for access to higher education for people with disabilities. This work has one central goal: to analyse and understand the causes for the potential inequality for people with disabilities in accessing higher education in Spain and the barriers they encounter during their academic life. This paper focuses on the differences in inclusive education between people with disabilities and people without disabilities by sex, age, and type of university. A mixed research design is used: qualitative research of two focus groups and fourteen interviews to sixteen students with disabilities; and statistical analysis of the Social Integration and Health Survey 2012, using two-way and multi-way cross-tables. There are significant differences between presence of disability and learning variables. Controlling by sex and age, almost every age-group is significant. Using sex as independent variable, and controlling by disability, there is no relationship with the variables relating to barriers to accessing education; therefore, the larger differences by sex are in the group of people without disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In July 2019, Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was declared a public health emergency of international concern and neighbouring countries were put on high alert. This paper examines the intersections of gender, caregiving, and livelihood practices in Uganda's border districts that emerged as key factors to consider in preparedness and response. This paper is based on an anthropological study of the Ebola context among Bantu cultures. We report on data from focus group discussions and key informant interviews with various sectors of the community. The study identified intersecting themes reported here: (1) women as primary caregivers in this context; and (2) women as providers, often in occupations that increase vulnerability to Ebola. Findings demonstrate the role that women play inside and outside the home as caregivers of the sick and during burials, and intersections with livelihood-seeking strategies. Because women's caregiving is largely unpaid, women face a double burden of work as they seek other livelihood strategies that sometimes increase vulnerability to Ebola. Epidemic response should address these intersections and the context-specific vulnerabilities of caregivers; it should also be localised and community-centred and able to attend to the cultural as well as the economic needs of a community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many novice teachers, their first year on the job can be a roller coaster experience of 'ups' and 'downs' as they transition from their teacher education programs to teaching in real classrooms. While to 'ups' are always good to experience, the 'downs' can be so traumatic that novice teachers can feel so stressed that their teaching is adversely impacted and burned out to the point that they consider resigning for the profession. For the most part, however, the language teaching profession has not addressed this aspect of a novice ESL (English as a second language) teacher well-being in terms of their personal and emotional investment as they transition from trainee to novice teacher in their first year. This paper attempts to shed light on the emotional experiences of three female novice ESL teachers in a university language school in Canada as they reflected during regular group discussions and journal writing during their first semester (12 weeks) as novice ESL teachers. The results reveal that the group discussions and journal writing provided a platform for the teachers to articulate their mostly negative emotions with three most frequently expressed: frustration, anger and boredom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immigrant Latinx transgender people often migrate to the United States because of a desire for increased safety and more opportunities. However, after migrating to the United States, immigrant Latinx transgender people often struggle to access basic needs, including health care, jobs, and stable finances. These struggles are exacerbated for undocumented immigrant Latinx transgender people. There is a gap in the literature regarding needed resources for immigrant Latinx transgender community members living in the United States. Aims: Utilizing a critical intersectionality framework, the aim of the present study was to investigate the resource needs of immigrant Latinx transgender community members living in the United States. Methods: A community sample of 18 immigrant Latinx transgender people living in a large metropolitan city in Florida participated in individual semi-structured interviews to explore their community resource needs. Results: Thematic analysis revealed five themes related to resources that participants needed including: 1) Transgender healthcare/resources, 2) Public education, 3) Financial aid resources, 4) Homelessness resources, and 5) Addictions care. Two resource need-related themes were identified that pertain specifically to undocumented immigrant Latinx transgender people, including: 1) Documentation papers for access, and 2) Legal aid. Conclusions: Findings suggest that immigrant Latinx transgender community members in this study provided guidance about broad resources needed to enhance their wellness and safety, and promote liberation of community members. Participants' resource needs suggest the importance of policy and structural level changes from institutions with power that consider and enhance the wellness of immigrant Latinx transgender people. Findings also suggest the need for more tailored interventions and case work to better support immigrant Latinx transgender people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of researchers are trying to provide explanations for continuity and change in drug policy in different contexts. Such research predominantly falls in the pluralist realm of public policy where various actors compete to have their policy proposals accepted. Using a critical framework called Policy Constellations (PC), developed by Stevens and Zampini, this paper attempts to explain reactions of the British Government to Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) between 2008 – 2016. Qualitative data comes from in-depth interviews with stakeholders (N = 15), including NGO workers, a former Home Secretary, drugs ministers, governmental advisors, a former senior police officer, former Deputy Drug Coordinator, and a former Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) member. Two 'constellations' competed in British NPS policy setting. The PC framework illustrates power imbalances between these competing stakeholders. Abstinence orientated actors (the conservative constellation) enjoyed strategic advantages and media power which allowed them to create a favourable policy setting. These advantages were not enjoyed by the liberal constellation who struggled to access the policy setting and influence policy developments. The prohibitive nature of the policy used to counter NPS can be explained with the domination of actors whose values align with the conservative constellation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are multimodal communicators. However, in classroom interactions involving children and staff, achieving mutual understanding and accomplishing task-oriented goals by attending to the child's unaided AAC can be challenging. This study draws on excerpts of video recordings of interactions in a classroom for 6–9-year-old children who used AAC to explore how three child participants used the range of multimodal resources available to them – vocal, movement-based, and gestural, technological, temporal – to shape (and to some degree, co-control) classroom interactions. Our research was concerned with examining achievements and problems in establishing a sense of common ground and the realization of child agency. Through detailed multimodal analysis, this paper renders visible different types of practices rejecting a request for clarification, drawing new parties into a conversation, disrupting whole-class teacher talk-through which the children in the study voiced themselves in persuasive ways. It concludes by suggesting that multimodal accounts paint a more nuanced picture of children's resourcefulness and conversational asymmetry that highlights children's agency amidst material, semiotic, and institutional constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last ten years the use of the internet as a health resource has transformed, and while patients increasingly consult online resources for health decision-making, less is known about how healthcare professionals (HCPs) currently discuss decision-making with internet informed patients (IIPs). In this paper we examine how HCPs perceive IIPs and specifically how bringing online information into appointments can prompt different communicative strategies around decision-making. Ten HCPs with experience working across different healthcare roles, took part in semi-structured interviews and discussed their interactions with IIPs around decision-making. Vignettes based on descriptions of real patients bringing online health information to their HCPs were used to prompt further discussion. The analysis identified two themes in relation to communication: (i) being honest about information sources and (ii) from compliance to coconstruction: improving communication around decision-making. HCPs were overwhelmingly positive toward IIPs and encouraged patients to be transparent about their online searching to understand their motivations, priorities, and concerns. Although compliance remains part of the narrative, HCPs recognized practical ways in which discussing online health information could improve HCP-patient communication around shared decision-making. We discuss the findings in relation to early work on communicative strategies between HCP’s and patients bringing resources to their consultations. We argue that for HCPs the concept of the internet as a provider of health information is no longer seen as inherently damaging or risky. There is growing acceptance of pre-consultation internet searching with the caveat that any information sourced online should inform rather than dictate decision-making with HCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of children's consistency of word production allow identification of speech sound disorder. Inconsistent errors are reported for two groups of children: childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) due to difficulty with the motoric precision and consistency of speech movements; and inconsistent phonological disorder (IPD) attributed to impaired phonological planning. This paper describes the inconsistent productions of children with IPD in comparison to typically developing children. In two studies of suspected SSD (N = 135), 22 children pronounced ≥40% of 25 words inconsistently on three repeated trials. No participant had symptoms of CAS. They were monolingual and spoke Australian- or Irish-English. Assessment determined the proportions of words said consistently (i.e. the same across productions: all correct or with the same error) or inconsistently (i.e. differently across productions: at least one correct and one error or different errors in productions). Qualitative analyses examined error types and explored the effect of target words' characteristics on inconsistency. Children with IPD produced 52% of words with different errors. While 56% of all phoneme errors were developmental (age appropriate or delayed), atypical errors typified inconsistency: default sounds and word structure errors. Words with more phonemes, syllables and consonant clusters were vulnerable to inconsistency, but their frequency of occurrence had no effect. TD children and those with IPD had different quantitative and qualitative error profiles, confirming IPD as a diagnostic category of SSD. Qualitative analyses supported the hypothesised deficit in phonological planning of words' production for children with IPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a sound policy framework, the right of learners with disabilities in South Africa to inclusive and equitable quality education is not being met. A key reason hindering the realisation of this right is that there are very few teacher education programs focused on supporting learners with disabilities. Acknowledging the urgency of teacher education, in this paper we draw on qualitative data from 109 teacher participants and 39 course facilitators of a series of disability inclusion-focused teacher education short courses in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Based on their experience of the courses, we consider how teachers can be empowered to meet the diverse needs of their learners within an inclusive framework. Findings highlight that professional and personal growth facilitated a more empathic understanding of learners and the opportunity to collaborate with others, enabling teachers to find creative ways of solving problems faced in their workplaces. To support teachers in meeting the needs of their learners, teacher training should facilitate active reflection on the role they play in shaping the lives of their learners, and prepare teachers to respond to challenges strategically, taking advantage of the resources available to them within and beyond their school environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual revictimization can have a negative impact on many facets of women's wellbeing, yet limited evidence exists regarding specific interventions that support healing and the reduction of further revictimization. This paper will explore regional and rural women's experience of a group-based empowerment program, the Shark Cage program, in Victoria, Australia. The "Shark Cage" program aims to address revictimization by empowering women and girls to build personal boundaries and assertiveness within the context of gender equality and human rights. Data were collected via participant observations across the 8-week program, in combination with semi-structured interviews with participants (N = 11) pre and post intervention. All participants had access to therapeutic support outside of the program. Findings indicate that the program fostered connections among women with shared experiences of sexual revictimization, reducing feelings of isolation. Participants detailed the benefit of developing and practicing skills in reducing revictimization, such as assertiveness and boundary setting. Program learning and recovery was embedded within a network of embodied emotions, social connections, cultural norms and place-based relations that influenced how participants recovery could be understood, processed and addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persuasive gamified systems are effective tools for motivating behaviour change using various persuasive strategies. In line with the reinforcement theory, some persuasive gamified systems employ reward and punishment in their design to achieve the intended behavioural outcome. Research has argued both in favour and against using these strategies in behaviour change applications due to mixed results with respect to their effectiveness. However, there is a lack knowledge about how interventions using these strategies could motivate or demotivate behaviours. Therefore, this paper explores the mechanism through which Reward and Punishment motivate or demotivate behaviours with respect to their strengths and weaknesses. The results of large-scale exploratory studies (N = 1768) uncover important strengths and weaknesses that could facilitate or hinder the effectiveness of Reward and Punishment at motivating behaviour change. These include their ability to engage users and make behaviour fun, reinforce commitments to goals, and reveal some consequences of bad behaviour. We also compared the perceived effectiveness of reward and punishment quantitatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]