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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to argue for a strengthening of the relational aspect of social work and for initiatives that involve local people and local communities.Design/methodology/approach A think piece based on observations of the current situation and supporting evidence.Findings Social work has become distanced from those whom it seeks to help. Case management and risk assessment need to be complemented by a more human approach based on positive relationships between professionals and service users.Originality/value An informed discussion on the future of social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Method section of research articles offers an important space for researchers to describe their research processes and research objects they utilize. To understand the relationship between these research materials and their representations in scientific publications, this paper offers a quantitative examination of the citation contexts of the most frequently cited references in the Method section of the paper sample, many of which belong to the category of research material objects. Design/methodology/approach: In this research, the authors assessed the extent to which these references appear in the Method section, which is regarded as an indicator of the instrumentality of the reference. The authors also examined how this central measurement is connected to its other citation contexts, such as key linguistic attributes and verbs that are used in citation sentences. Findings: The authors found that a series of key linguistic attributes can be used to predict the instrumentality of a reference. The use of self-mention phrases and the readability score of the citances are especially strong predictors, along with boosters and hedges, the two measurements that were not included in the final model. Research limitations/implications: This research focuses on a single research domain, psychology, which limits the understanding of how research material objects are cited in different research domains or interdisciplinary research contexts. Moreover, this research is based on 200 frequently cited references, which are unable to represent all references cited in psychological publications. Practical implications: With the identified relationship between instrumental citation contexts and other characteristics of citation sentences, this research opens the possibility of more accurately identifying research material objects from scientific references, the most accessible scholarly data. Originality/value: This is the first large-scale, quantitative analysis of the linguistic features of citations to research material objects. This study offers important baseline results for future studies focusing on scientific instruments, an increasingly important type of object involved in scientific research. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: 10.1108/OIR-03-2021-0171 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to identify the major factors necessary for engaging university campus community in sustainability. While general awareness in sustainability issues has improved in recent years through mass media coverage, this knowledge is not always translated into actual sustainable practice. Studies have indicated that there are many factors for engaging the community in sustainability. Design/methodology/approach -- A multi-disciplinary literature review is first undertaken to distil the drivers that enhance participation in sustainability programmes by the university community. Next, to illustrate the applicability of the factors identified in the community engagement framework, two case studies are undertaken to highlight the importance of the identified factors in influencing the level of community participation in their sustainability programmes. Findings -- The 6-P framework for community engagement includes factors such as psychological needs, physical facilities, personal motivations, public perception, price mechanisms and policies. The case studies of two universities' sustainability projects illustrate that the framework is highly applicable to university communities. Originality/value -- While research on behaviour change has been undertaken by various disciplines such as urban planning, marketing and psychology, these have been done in isolation. The originality of this paper is therefore achieved by drawing together the knowledge from these well-established disciplines to develop an original 6-P framework. This framework has the potential of assisting university leaders in the development of their community engagement strategy to mobilise and motivate their community members to take practical steps towards building a sustainable campus. However, the robustness of this framework will need to be further validated in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Many contemporary career theories emphasize the role of individual agency and choice, a perspective that may not be relevant for the careers of underprivileged groups around the world. The psychology of working theory notes this disconnect and highlights the role that contextual variables play in the careers of marginalized, disadvantaged groups of employees. The goal of this paper was to identify factors that impact employees' careers by examining the relationship between desired work values and obtained work values. Design/methodology/approach: The data utilized in this study were from the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) Work Orientations IV survey. Across 37 countries, 27,527 individuals were surveyed and multilevel moderation analyses were employed. Findings: Using psychology of working theory as a theoretical framework, the authors identify the contextual factors that enable employees to secure their desired work values. Employees living in countries with higher levels of the Human Development Index have an easier time securing their desired intrinsic work values. Gender was not a statistically significant moderator. Originality/value: The authors' findings indicate that, for many employees, careers are influenced by larger socioeconomic factors, showing that individuals have a more difficult time shaping their own careers in some contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a stepped-care primary care psychology service through triangulating clinical outcome data, service user satisfaction ratings and feedback from referrers. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed method approach including a repeated measures design (pre- and post-clinical data on standardised psychometrics) for clinical outcomes and an online and postal survey with quantitative and qualitative elements offered to all service users and referrers to the service. Findings: In total, 125 service users completed a full intervention with the service with 56% treatment completers demonstrating a reliable reduction in the symptoms of low mood and 49.6% in anxiety. Of those within the clinical range for depression at assessment, 66.67% achieved clinical recovery following an intervention. Of those within the clinical range for an anxiety disorder at assessment, 62.03% achieved clinical recovery following an intervention. Service users reported high levels of satisfaction with the service specifying particular interpersonal qualities of the therapists and the individualisation of service provision as crucial positive factors. Referrers similarly reported high levels of overall satisfaction with the service, specifying that the speed of response to referral and length of intervention was of greatest importance to them. Practical implications: Stepped-care psychological interventions reduce psychological distress in treatment completers with mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety and low mood. The overall interpersonal experience may be of greater importance to service users in their evaluation of a service than clinical outcomes. In their relationship to a Psychology service, referrers value speed of response and ongoing feedback. Building a robust, highly valued service may require the triangulation of evidence from all key stakeholders. Originality/value: This paper provides a pragmatic template of how a rigorous evaluation of a primary care psychology service requires evidence from multiple stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The collaborative assessment and management of suicidality (CAMS) is a first-encounter suicide-specific brief intervention that motivates suicidal individuals for voluntary treatment engagement and choosing life. How the intervention works, however, has not been theoretically explained. The purpose of this paper is to explain the effectiveness using self-determination theory (SDT). Design/methodology/approach: The paper focuses the theoretical examination on the philosophy of care and the clinical procedures of the CAMS suicide intervention. SDT is used as the theoretical lens of the examination. Findings: The underlying philosophy of care and the clinical procedures of CAMS enhance the autonomy, relatedness and competence of the client in the first encounter. The paper proposes that fulfilling these basic human needs results in the intervention outcomes of treatment engagement and choosing life for the time being. Research limitations/implications: The research is limited to the examination of the documented clinical procedures and philosophy of care. Further research applying SDT to the design and empirical testing of therapeutic interventions for suicide prevention is warranted. Practical implications: Clinicians working with suicidal clients need to empathically address suicidal individuals' motivation to engage in voluntary treatment and reduce controlling and autonomy-thwarting approaches. Social implications: Suicidal behaviour is conventionally considered the manifestation of a mental disorder characterized by limited informed decision-making. The success of CAMS points to the contrary. Despite their suffering, many suicidal individuals make informed decisions about treatment with the support of an empathetic clinician. Originality/value: CAMS has not previously been theoretically explained. This paper explains the effectiveness of the intervention in engaging suicidal clients in further treatment through SDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to determine the attachment strategies of prospective adoptive parents and any correlation between attachment and the defensive strategies they used when talking about loss of fertility. The study also examined whether attachment strategy of the applicants had a bearing on the decision by the local authority to place a child. Design/methodology/approach: The sample was comprised of 48 respondents (21 couples) representing 84 per cent of all people who applied to one UK Social Services Department in a 12-month period. Placement of a child was reviewed two years following the assessment. The study used the dynamic maturational model version of the adult attachment interview (DMM-AAI), together with added questions on loss of fertility to assess the applicants' attachment strategies together with unresolved loss and trauma and the DMM modifiers. Findings: Unlike adoption studies using the Main and Goldwyn system, this study rated very few of the applicants' AAIs as secure (13 per cent), 48 per cent were in the normative low-risk range and 52 per cent of the AAIs were coded in the more complex DMM insecure strategies. There was a significant bias towards marriages where the partners deployed opposite low-risk/DMM strategies (13 (62 per cent) of couples). Compared with data on non-clinical populations the AAIs showed a high level of unresolved loss or trauma (58 per cent). Using a six-way distribution (A1-2, C1-2, B, A3-4, C3-6 and A/C) there was an 87 per cent correspondence between discourse about loss of fertility and that about attachment, thereby supporting the established proposition that reproduction is part of the attachment system. Twenty one per cent of the AAIs were coded as "disorientated" and this is discussed in terms of conflict for adoptive of parents concerning the raising of a child who carries their own genes or those of strangers. A case is made to conceptualise negative impact of infertility in terms of unresolved trauma rather than loss. Research - limitations/implications: This study adds to research showing that the DMM approach is more finely calibrated than the ABC+disorganised model with the latter likely over coding for security. The results emphasise that fertility and reproduction are legitimate subjects for attachment studies and that AAI discourse analysis is a valid methodology for future research. However coder agreement as to whether or not loss of fertility was resolved was only fair (64 per cent) κ. 0.25 (po0.33). More work is required in order to determine what constitutes unresolved loss of fertility and what impact, if any, this has on parenting an adopted child. Practical implications: The practice implications are considered in a separate paper. Social implications: The findings are contentious in that they suggest a significant number (48 per cent) of adoptive parents have needs not dissimilar to other clients of psychological services. Originality/value: This is the first DMM-AAI study with prospective adoptive parents and the findings show significant differences when compared with previous studies using the Main and Goldwyn AAI. It is also the first study to establish fertility as a legitimate area for attachment studies by using AAI discourse analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight concerns about recent CPS guidance on the prosecution of rape and sexual assault cases.Design/methodology/approach The paper places the CPS guidance in the wider policy context of concerns about sexual violence on mental health wards.Findings The paper concludes that the reported CPS guidance appears to run counter to other policy directives particularly the recent report from the CQC.Originality/value The paper is a first response to these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Co-existing health conditions and frequent hospital usage are pervasive in homeless populations. Without a home to be discharged to, appropriate discharge care and treatment compliance are difficult. The Medical Respite Centre (MRC) model has gained traction in the USA, but other international examples are scant. The purpose of this paper is to address this void, presenting findings from an evaluation of The Cottage, a small short-stay respite facility for people experiencing homelessness attached to an inner-city hospital in Melbourne, Australia.Design/methodology/approach This mixed methods study uses case studies, qualitative interview data and hospital administrative data for clients admitted to The Cottage in 2015. Hospital inpatient admissions and emergency department presentations were compared for the 12-month period pre- and post-The Cottage.Findings Clients had multiple health conditions, often compounded by social isolation and homelessness or precarious housing. Qualitative data and case studies illustrate how The Cottage couples medical care and support in a home-like environment. The average stay was 8.8 days. There was a 7 per cent reduction in the number of unplanned inpatient days in the 12-months post support.Research limitations/implications The paper has some limitations including small sample size, data from one hospital only and lack of information on other services accessed by clients (e.g. housing support) limit attribution of causality.Social implications MRCs provide a safe environment for individuals to recuperate at a much lower cost than inpatient admissions.Originality/value There is limited evidence on the MRC model of care outside of the USA, and the findings demonstrate the benefits of even shorter-term respite post-discharge for people who are homeless. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Homeless people experience extreme health inequalities and high rates of morbidity and mortality (Aldridge et al., 2017). Use of primary care services are low, while emergency healthcare use is high (Mathie, 2012; Homeless Link, 2014). Duration of admission has been estimated to be three times longer for homeless patients who often experience poor hospital discharge arrangements (; ). This reflects ongoing and unaddressed care and housing needs (Blackburn et al., 2017). The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approach This paper reveals how GPs employed in secondary care, as part of Pathway teams, support improved health and housing outcomes and safe transfer of care into community services. It draws on published literature on role of GPs in working with excluded groups, personal experience of working as a GP in secondary care, structured interviews with Pathway GPs and routine data collected by the team to highlight key outcomes.Findings The expertise of GPs is highlighted and includes holistic assessment, management of multimorbidity or "tri-morbidity" – the combination of addictions problems, mental illness and physical health (Homeless Link, 2014; Stringfellow et al., 2015) and research and teaching.Originality/value The role of the GP in the care of patients with complex needs is more visible in primary care. This paper demonstrates some of the ways in which in-reach GPs play an important role in the care of multiply excluded groups attending and admitted to secondary care settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Team formulation, used to understand patient problems and plan care, is a growing practice in adult mental health and learning disability services. The purpose of this paper is to explore definitions applied to team formulation (as distinct to therapy formulation), its underpinning theories, and the inter-relationship between the team and the process of formulation.Design/methodology/approach A database search (main search term of team formulation) of peer-reviewed studies was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. A main and second reviewer conducted quality appraisals and thematic analysis. Data were analysed by convergent qualitative synthesis design using thematic analysis to transform evidence from quantitative and qualitative studies into qualitative findings.Findings Initial searching produced 4,532 papers, 10 of which were eligible for inclusion. Team formulation has no distinct definition. Theories underpinning the practice of therapy formulation emanating from general psychological theory underpin team formulation. Seven studies applied psychological theories to the examination of team formulation. No studies examined the impact of the team on the formulation. Six themes were generated regarding the impact of team formulation on the team; "increased knowledge and understanding", "altered perceptions, leading to altered relationships, feelings and behaviours", "space to reflect", "useful when stuck or challenged", "perceived increase in effectiveness" and "improved team working".Research limitations/implications Limited evidence and variable quality compromised the availability of review evidence.Originality/value This is the first review to examine team formulation through the context of the team. The authors argue that a conceptual framework to encompass team inputs, processes and outputs in team formulation practice should guide future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss the variables which have contributed to the adoption of positive behaviour support (PBS) and applied behaviour analysis (ABA). Differences and similarities are highlighted, applications to contemporary issues in the UK and Australia are emphasised, and considerations posed for their improved adoption. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual framework for diffusion of innovations theory is used to guide the analysis of three sets of articles, and application of the framework is guided by narrative analysis. Findings: Eight variables from the conceptual framework were identified, and the communication networks for PBS and ABA are argued to be distinct. There has been a positive change in the perception of PBS by the ABA field, but PBS has leveraged diffusion more successfully. ABA appears to have been separated from PBS in the UK while Australia is yet to fully benefit from the contributions of ABA. Those working in the fields of PBS and ABA should further collaborate for their mutual benefit. Practical implications: Greater attention to the factors which promote diffusion can assist PBS and ABA to improve their adoption. Originality/value: This is the first paper to use diffusion of innovations theory to analyse the adoption of PBS and ABA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to better understand the perceptions international STEM students have of the library and higher education based on their responses to the Ithaka S+R Graduate Student Survey.Design/methodology/approach To better understand these groups, this study conducted the Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon test on the Ithaka survey results to compare the groups and identify any statistically significant differences that the international STEM graduate students group (ISG) has to other groups.Findings This paper found that ISG valued Higher Education objective variables more than the non-ISG group, with the exception of one question. The ISG group also valued 7 of the 13 role of the library (ROL) variables statistically different.Research limitations/implications Since the students self-reported as international or STEM, the authors are unable to assess whether the response pool is representative of the university as a whole.Practical implications By understanding how international/STEM students may differ from other populations, libraries can better design spaces and services for these groups.Originality/value Existing studies tend to focus on international students or STEM students and information literacy. This study intends to fill a gap in the understanding of how these groups perceive the ROL and their education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore to what extent a flipped classroom pedagogy (FCP) design as a digital pedagogical tool enhances student teachers' learning in economics education at an open distance e-Learning (ODeL) university. Design/methodology/approach - This exploratory study used a quantitative approach and online survey design. The sample consisted of 214 Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and 157 Baccalaureus Educationis (BEd) (senior and further education and training phase) student teachers. A closed structured online questionnaire, Flipped Classroom Pedagogy Questionnaire, designed on a four-point Likert scale, was used to collect data. Descriptive and inferential data were computed to explore student teachers' learning to teach an economics education in a teacher education course. Ethical clearance was granted and therefore adheres to the policy on research ethics of the university. Findings - Empirically, the findings of this paper revealed that the FCP digital pedagogy enhanced economics students' academic performance and perceptions in an online open distance learning environment. Furthermore, student teachers perceived that the functionality of the FCP experience as an online strategy was useful and effective for their learning. Therefore, these findings confirmed and extended what is revealed by earlier research studies regarding the debate on the usefulness of the FCP approach as a powerful technology-integrated teaching design in teacher education courses. Research limitations/implications - The findings of this investigation could not be generalised because a small sample was selected. Further investigation is needed regarding comparing other similar modules of the PGCE/BEd (senior and FET phase) programmes over a longer investigative period in the college. Further research should be explored, employing a mixed-methods approach on how student teachers perceived academic support in the FCP strategy towards self-directed learning. Practical implications - Ultimately, several implications for using the FCP approach emerged, in particular for rethinking teacher education programmes to support and accommodate the digital learner. To implement this approach successfully, faculties should formulate clear intended outcomes for implementing the FCP pedagogical approach. In addition, faculties at higher education institutions should seriously consider the merits of the FCP approach in order to avoid becoming redundant. Therefore, lecturers who intend to use this strategy either through a contact, blended or ODeL mode of delivery, are compelled to provide consistent, ongoing constructive feedback and monitoring required learning tasks. Social implications - The paper empowers PGCE/BEd (senior and FET phase) students to teach the subject in a diverse society. Originality/value - This research study has shown that student teachers perceived an FCP approach in an online platform as an empowering tool that is both effective and useful and that positively impacts on their lived experience in an ODeL context. It extends the epistemology (subject of knowledge) of the effectiveness of the FCP strategy as an enhancer for student learning in an ODeL environment, teacher education in particular. Furthermore, a noteworthy contribution is made towards the application of the FCP as one of the digital pedagogies in teaching economics in an ODeL context. This exploratory study also makes a methodological contribution to the validation of an online data collection instrument for use in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline the historical background and policy context of mental health services for people with intellectual disability (ID) in Ireland. It then considers recent implementation and lessons from the Irish experience.Design/methodology/approach The policy background and research literature relevant to the development of mental health services for people with ID in Ireland was reviewed and discussed.Findings Mental health services in Ireland remain in a state of change, moving towards the implementation of specialist multi-disciplinary teams in the community, alongside previous models of care and service.Research limitations/implications This paper summarises recent advances and research regarding mental health services for people with ID in Ireland.Practical implications The paper illustrates the process of delivering changes to mental health services with practical implications for mental health services internationally.Originality/value This is the first paper in many years to summarise the development of mental health services for people with ID in Ireland. There has been considerable recent change and it is therefore important to provide a useful reference for the current status of services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Comment on the contribution that housing can make to delivering better health and wellbeing outcomes. More specifically, the purpose of this paper is threefold: summarise recent evidence that makes the case for housing in helping to address health and social care issues; comment on the challenges and opportunities of partnership working; and describe examples of interesting and innovative local joint provision.Design/methodology/approach Draws on the author's briefing papers on housing, health and social care for housing quality network, which is a national housing consultancy organisation as well as the author's role as Chairperson of East Midlands Housing Care and Support, which is a regional housing association.Findings Collaboration between housing, health and social care is making slow progress at the national level in England. This is despite an ever-increasing evidence base highlighting that good housing can help to address issues, such as delayed discharges. Nevertheless, there are an increasing number of interesting examples of successful local initiatives on housing, health and adult social care. The way forward is to facilitate joint working at a local level.Originality/value Focusses on the success of examples of local joint working between housing, health and social care to achieve better outcomes for vulnerable people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The 2017 Naylor Review has been the subject of some controversy, with some of the press, social media and other critics portraying its recommendations as a "fire sale" or privatisation of the NHS. The purpose of this paper is to examine preceding reports into efficiency and best value of the NHS, the evidence behind the review recommendations, and analyse data into housing affordability for the capital's NHS staff. It concludes by advocating for partnerships with housing associations to deliver social and financial value by utilising redundant NHS land to deliver the affordable housing that London and the rest of the UK so urgently needs.Design/methodology/approach The paper was developed using the content analysis of preceding independent reviews of NHS efficiency, published critiques of the Naylor Review and analysis of NHS produced data to consider the potential savings and opportunities for reinvestment in capital projects.Findings The paper identifies existing partnership models and examples of good practice and advocates the adoption of joint ventures and other forms of partnership to ensure that both best value is achieved from the sale of NHS assets, and publicly owned assets are reused for social purpose.Originality/value The paper uses existing data, analysis and context to map a route for achieving best value in managing the publicly owned asset base and reinvesting the proceeds of the sale of redundant properties into UK public services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the hostility many young women who are also mothers experience within their everyday lives.Design/methodology/approach The paper will draw on qualitative research, incorporating a narrative approach, to illustrate the hostility many young mothers experience on a daily basis. The research design included a focus group, semi-structure interviews and participant observations.Findings The paper reports the findings of a study that explored the experiences of young women who are also mothers. The author presents the findings that indicate that many young women, who are also young mothers, experience hostile reactions and interactions as part of their everyday lives.Research limitations/implications The small sample size means that this study cannot be generalised, but it does contribute to the growing body of qualitative evidence in relation to young mothers.Practical implications The findings suggest that there needs to be more recognition and acknowledgement of the hostility young women experience. Such hostility could have deleterious consequences on the young women, their parenting ability and also on the children.Originality/value This paper documents the experiences of young women who are also mothers and how they experience hostility as a daily occurrence. The hostility ranged from verbal to non-verbal and how they felt they were being treated, inferences about their sexuality to stereotyping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a supply-side review of policies and practices that impact on the shortage of supply in the contemporary specialist housing market for older people in the UK.Design/methodology/approach The review is based on a review of academic literature, policy documents, reports and other sources.Findings There is a critical conflict between the key social purpose of specialist housing (i.e. living independent of socially provided care) and the values that underpin and ultimately limit the quantity of units in both the social and private sector. In the social sector, government policies prohibit rather than encourage local authorities and housing associations from increasing specialist housing stock. The nature of leasehold tenures in the private sector tends to commodify not only housing stock but also those who use it and therefore acts to instrumentalise housing supply in favour of the profit motive and the focus on the person and her or his needs is largely ignored.Originality/value While the shortage of specialist housing is well known, this paper is unique in that it provides a comprehensive and critical supply-side review of the factors that have created such conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore keyworkers’ experience and perceptions working with people experiencing homelessness and the use of psychologically informed approaches in an Irish context.Design/methodology/approach In this paper a qualitative descriptive methodology was employed and face-to-face in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data collected were analysed using a thematic framework and transcribed by the researcher.Findings It was the view of the keyworkers psychological approaches allowed them greater understanding of psychological trauma and its effects promotes safe physical and emotional environments builds rapport between staff and clients and enables keyworkers to work more effectively with people with complex needs. There was also convincing evidence staff are quite receptive to training.Originality/value Given there is no research exploring the use of psychologically informed approaches in homelessness service settings, this study researched an area that has not yet been explored in Ireland. This qualitative descriptive research provides a platform from which further research can be conducted. It is hoped that highlighting the psychological issues of homeless people, the data obtained will help improve Irish homeless services, and the findings extracted beneficial in terms of future service developments, professional training and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the barriers and facilitators to an effective transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS). It also presents a new entry into considering how the transition can be improved.Design/methodology/approach Insights into the transition from CAMHS to AMHS were gathered through eight semi-structured interviews with mental health professionals. Two methods of data analysis were employed to explore the emerging themes in the data and the observed deficit approach to organisational development.Findings The findings identified a vast volume of barriers in comparison to facilitators to the transition. Adolescents who transition from CAMHS to AMHS initially experience difficulty adapting to the differences in the services due to the short duration of the transition period. However, despite the established barriers to the transition, adolescents tend to adapt to the differences between the services. Findings also showed a negative framing towards the transition amongst the mental health professionals which resembles a deficit approach to organisational development.Originality/value This paper explores mental health professionals’ perspectives regarding the transition in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The transition is increasingly recognised as an area in health care that requires improvement. This research provides a new way to consider the transition by exploring the perceived deficit approach to organisational development in the services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on the preceding article describing changing patterns in the provision and take-up of accommodation services for adults with learning disabilities in Ireland, in the context of the types of reductions in funding that have been apparent internationally for some time.Design/methodology/approach The commentary examines some of the implications and discusses some of the underlying quality of life issues implicit in the data presented. It also explores the tensions between owning one’s home and receiving specialist support and examines what supported living might enable services to achieve.Findings The paper concludes that the nature of economic policy and professional practice, alike, have implications for the quality of home life enjoyed by adults with learning disabilities; and that the interplay between them is more complex than is often allowed.Originality/value These issues are not new, but frustratingly enduring. Their fresh consideration might assist the urgent need to achieve a more coherent narrative capable of consistent application for present and future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test if there are biases in lexical sentiment analysis accuracy between reviews authored by males and females.Design/methodology/approach This paper uses data sets of TripAdvisor reviews of hotels and restaurants in the UK written by UK residents to contrast the accuracy of lexical sentiment analysis for males and females.Findings Male sentiment is harder to detect because it is less explicit. There was no evidence that this problem could be solved by gender-specific lexical sentiment analysis.Research limitations/implications Only one lexical sentiment analysis algorithm was used.Practical implications Care should be taken when drawing conclusions about gender differences from automatic sentiment analysis results. When comparing opinions for product aspects that appeal differently to men and women, female sentiments are likely to be overrepresented, biasing the results.Originality/value This is the first evidence that lexical sentiment analysis is less able to detect the opinions of one gender than another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the relation between quality of life (QoL), mental illness, challenging behaviour and institutionalisation in an adult population with intellectual disabilities (ID).Design/methodology/approach The study assessed the QoL and its conditioning factors in 142 subjects with different degrees of ID. The GENCAT and Quality of Life in Late Stage Dementia scale were used to evaluate QoL, the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adults with Developmental Disability and Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped-II scale to assess mental illness and the Inventory for Client and aetiology Planning scale to assess challenging behaviour.Findings Individuals who live in residential care homes were found to have significantly impaired QoL (<0.001). Individuals with challenging behaviour presented significantly lower QoL, regardless of ID aethiology and degree, while psychiatric disorders did not seem to have a direct influence on individual QoL.Originality/value This paper provides new insight into the importance of challenging behaviour and psychiatric disorders in the QoL of individuals with ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - With the available technological tools, fans are able to access sport products regardless of geographic proximity. Through technology, fans can follow sports teams from other countries. In contrast to previous research focused on the local fan, in this paper we report on a study of a group of distant fans - Chinese National Basketball Association (NBA) fans - as the focal object. The study was guided by three questions: RQ1: what motives drive a distant fan's involvement with their favorite NBA team? RQ2: are there differences in the motives associated with the different stages of psychological connection among distant fans? RQ3: are there differences in the amount of media consumption at the different stages of psychological connection? The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach - An online survey was distributed to consumers of a Chinese sports message board to assess the motives of distant fans (n=281) following teams in the NBA, and strength of psychological connection to the NBA based on the psychological continuum model (PCM). Findings - There were significant differences in the motives for following a distant NBA team among the respondents at different stages of psychological connection. Significant differences were also found among Chinese NBA fans at the respective stages regarding media consumption. Originality/value - This study contributes to the advancement of knowledge regarding sport fandom. It is one of the first studies to include an assessment of the sport consumption motives of distant fans, more specifically, motives influencing Chinese fans' consumption of the NBA. Utilizing the PCM allows for the segmentation of a specific fan population and to ascertain whether there are differences in the motives and behaviors associated with different stages of an individual's psychological connection with a team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a small scale pilot study undertaken in Northern Ireland to gather service user feedback from individuals who have been subject to adult safeguarding procedures.Design/methodology/approach The aims, methods and findings of the “Adult Safeguarding: 10,000 Voices” pilot project are presented.Findings The pilot project highlighted how an initiative which captures the experiences of patients, service users, carers and staff in the health and social care sector (10,000 Voices) could be successfully adapted for use in adult safeguarding, facilitating the collation of complex experiences and enabling insights to be gleaned and shared.Research limitations/implications The pilot study is limited by the small number of participants. The findings are preliminary.Practical implications For the first time in Northern Ireland the 10,000 Voices model was utilised in the context of a non-health related service, namely, adult safeguarding.Social implications This outline of the model and methodology for obtaining service user feedback can inform user involvement in other contexts.Originality/value This paper provides an accessible overview of an innovative approach to engaging service users in adult safeguarding, such approaches, to date have been limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand the similarities and differences between the Twitter users who tweeted on journal articles in psychology and political science disciplines. Design/methodology/approach: The data were collected from Web of Science, Altmetric.com, and Twitter. A total of 91,826 tweets with 22,541 distinct Twitter user profiles for psychology discipline and 29,958 tweets with 10,478 distinct Twitter user profiles for political science discipline were used for analysis. The demographics analysis includes gender, geographic location, individual or organization user, academic or non-academic background, and psychology/political science domain knowledge background. A machine learning approach using support vector machine (SVM) was used for user classification based on the Twitter user profile information. Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic modeling was used to discover the topics that the users discussed from the tweets. Findings: Results showed that the demographics of Twitter users who tweeted on psychology and political science are significantly different. Tweets on journal articles in psychology reflected more the impact of scientific research finding on the general public and attracted more attention from the general public than the ones in political science. Disciplinary difference in term of user demographics exists, and thus it is important to take the discipline into consideration for future altmetrics studies. Originality/value: From this study, researchers or research organizations may have a better idea on who their audiences are, and hence more effective strategies can be taken by researchers or organizations to reach a wider audience and enhance their influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the particular characteristics and strengths of mainstream undergraduate and postgraduate university education for social workers.Design/methodology/approach A brief summary of the establishment of the honours degree or M-level qualification as the requirement for registration as a social worker in England is followed by a summary of the main aspects of “mainstream” social work courses. The values underpinning a “student” rather than a “trainee” route into social work are explored and some limited comparisons made with recently introduced fast-track specialist programmes. Where relevant, the student experience is contrasted with that of fast-track specialist trainees.Findings The paper concludes with a discussion of the potential impact on the social work profession and on agencies providing social work services of the cuts over the past few years in the numbers of students on “generalist” mainstream social work programmes.Research limitations/implications This is a conceptual paper. It recognises that more information is available on long-established university programmes than on the more recently available fast-track routes into social work and cites relevant research.Practical implications The paper points to the changing balance between numbers entering social work in England via mainstream and fast-track specialist programmes and argues for a fuller debate amongst all stakeholders as to whether this change is in the interest of the profession and those who need social work services.Social implications The author argues that the unequal level of funding between the different entry routes into social work is distorting choice (for students and future employers) between fast-track specialist and mainstream social work education. It is hypothesised that differences between the curricula and learning experiences of the two routes may have an impact on the social work service available to vulnerable people across age and needs groups. It also points to a potentially negative impact on social work education and the knowledge base of the reduction in numbers of academics with both social work practice experiences and research qualifications.Originality/value This is an original paper that draws on the author’s experience and the published research and grey literature cited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose There are often calls for more focus on outcomes in Children’s Social Care yet there is little consensus on what these outcomes should be. Key challenges include who should decide what outcomes should be measured and the sheer range of issues that social workers deal with. The purpose of this paper is to provide a reflective account of approaches to measuring outcomes that the author has used in recent studies in order to illustrate the complexity involved in understanding what the purpose of Children’s Social Care is and therefore how outcomes might be measured.Design/methodology/approach A review of and reflection on lessons from recent research studies carried out by the author and colleagues.Findings The results are used to illustrate and support an argument that Children’s Social Care performs multiple functions and that this has implications for thinking about outcomes. Helping children and parents is one element of the work, but assessing risk across large numbers of referrals and identifying those that require involvement is equally important. Furthermore, the social work role requires complex considerations around liberty and the rights of parents and children. One consequence of this is that the quality of the service provided is important in its own right.Research limitations/implications It is suggested that the evaluation of Children’s Social Care involves four types of outcomes: measures of the quality of the service provided; assessment of whether the “right” families are being worked with; client-defined measures of change; and the development of appropriate standardised instruments. Examples of approaches in each area are discussed.Practical implications The theoretical considerations suggest that we need to have a multi-dimensional approach to evaluating, inspecting and leading Children’s Social Care services. In particular, the importance of the quality of delivery and appropriate targeting of the service are emphasised, as well as considering various approaches to measuring outcomes.Originality/value The paper proposes a combination of qualitative and quantitative measures of process, assessment and outcomes for evaluating outcomes in Children’s Social Care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reflect on development in children’s social work over 35 years from the perspective of someone who has worked in the field as a practitioner and director.Design/methodology/approach Interview.Findings The paper provides insights into implementing the Reclaiming Social Work model and how systems can better support social work practice with children and families.Originality/value The paper offers a unique perspective on developments in the field and implications for the future of children’s social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the aspects of social work for children, primarily in England.Design/methodology/approach It is based on reflections on research undertaken by the author prior to 1995 and after 2015.Findings The paper explores the interaction between people – effective leaders and practitioners – and systems.Research limitations/implications It is an opinion piece, and does not present findings from a single study.Practical implications It urges systems that do not restrict the capability of practitioners.Social implications The value of social work services at times of significant social disadvantage demands strong public policy attention.Originality/value The study draws on several research and case studies in over 20 English local authorities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to expose and dispel some outdated dilemmas and straw men that have drawn attention away from debates of substance in social work. The paper presents what Frontline believes to be the substantive dilemmas facing the social work profession, as it looks into the future.Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on the insights and experiences of the past four years during which Frontline has been innovating in the field of social work education and leadership development.Findings Building a better social work system requires addressing several important questions, namely, whether social work; first, is a practical or intellectual task; second, is a generic or specialist profession; third, focuses on social or therapeutic change; fourth, requires bureaucrats or change agents; and fifth, involves measuring inspections or measuring outcomes.Originality/value The paper sets out the key dilemmas facing the social work profession, which must be debated and addressed in order to build a better social work system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose How might the profession of child protection social work be “future proofed”, i.e. remain intact and of value beyond its present existence? The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approach This is a discussion/“think piece” paper, in which the author argues that foregrounding the art and science of helping relationships is a way forward. Recognising and promoting the centrality of helping relationships is the direction in which the author believes (or is it hopes?) social work should head, because “more of the same” is not, in the author’s view, possible to sustain for much longer. Treading the well-worn but pot-holed path of box-ticking, endless risk assessment and perfunctory statutory visiting is likely to lead to continuing problems retaining social workers and, for those who do stay, increased burnout, compassion fatigue and secondary trauma, each of which interrupts or delays the development of working alliances with family members.Findings Growing reliance on thresholds and checklists to assess risk has served to increase referrals. As a result, social workers spend much of their time on triaging and filtering rather than working with the children and families that most need help and protection. Further, it is not what is in the practitioner’s toolkit that matters: rather, it is a defined set of personal skills and qualities that tips the balance to achieve lasting change. Thus, in order to “future proof” social work, we would do well to deepen our understanding of how helping relationships can lead to lasting change. Supporting social workers in this work is not just the responsibility of individual practitioners and their professional bodies, action also needs to be taken at governmental and managerial levels.Originality/value This is a discussion/“think piece”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose In the past 40 years, both health policy and educational policy in England have adopted commitments to reducing socially created inequalities. However, an inequalities perspective has only begun to emerge in relation to child protection, and child welfare services more widely. The purpose of this paper is to chart evidence of these green shoots of a new policy direction which focusses on two aspects: equalising service provision and outcomes for looked after children.Design/methodology/approach The paper provides an analysis of trends in policies as expressed in official documents, research studies and policy statements.Findings The paper outlines the argument for a more comprehensive approach to addressing inequalities in child protection and child welfare services, and concludes by suggesting some implications for policy and practice.Originality/value The paper develops the concept of an inequalities perspective in child protection and outlines key implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the changes in child protection policy and practice in England over the last 30 years, in particular to critically analyse the nature and impact of the “refocusing” initiative of the mid-1990s.Design/methodology/approach Policy analysis.Findings While the period from the mid-1990s until 2008 can be seen to show how policy and practice attempted to build on a number of the central principles of the “refocusing” initiative, the period since 2008 has been very different. Following the huge social reaction to the death of Peter Connelly, policy and practice moved in directions quite contra to the “refocusing” initiative’s aims and aspirations such that we can identify a refocusing of “refocusing”. Such developments were given a major impetus with the election of the Coalition government in 2010 and have been reinforced further following the election of the Conservative government in May 2015.Originality/value The paper places the changes in child protection policy and practice in England in their political and economic contexts and makes explicit how the changes impact on the role and responsibilities of professionals, particularly social workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Notwithstanding heightened awareness of the issues faced by homeless people, the notion that homelessness is the result of individual failings and weaknesses persists. The purpose of this paper is to challenge that perception by giving voice to this marginalised group and exploring the mechanisms through which they made and remade as homeless and may be protected.Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews (n=23) were carried out with a sample of homeless people who had accessed a range of homelessness services in the study area.Findings It is argued that largely deprived of the private sphere, which arguably renders them in most need of public space, homeless people find themselves most subject to scrutiny, surveillance, social disapprobation and exclusion.Research limitations/implications The authors reiterate that rather than simply being associated with rooflessness, homelessness is as a function of ongoing geographical marginalisation and social alienation.Practical implications The authors suggest that dedicated spaces for homeless people to occupy during the day continue to be in need of development because, whilst not unproblematic, they can disrupt processes associated with homelessness.Social implications Further resources should be directed towards homelessness and the issues that arise during daytime for homeless people.Originality/value The paper supports the literature which highlights the spatial practices by which stigmatised groups come to be separated from mainstream society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive understanding of scholarly discussions of academic publications on the social web and to further discuss the validity of altmetrics as a research impact assessment tool for academic articles.Design/methodology/approach Facebook posts citing psychological journal papers were collected for both quantitative and qualitative analyses. A content analysis approach was adopted to investigate topic preferences and motivations for scholarly discussions among academic and non-academic Facebook users.Findings Non-academic users were more actively engaged in scholarly discussions on Facebook than academic users. Among 1,711 Facebook users in the sample, 71.4 percent of them belonged to non-academic users, while 28.6 percent were from an academic background. The Facebook users cited psychological articles with various motivations: discussion and evaluation toward articles (20.4 percent), application to real life practices (16.5 percent), self-promotion (6.4 percent), and data source exchange (6.0 percent). However, nearly half of the posts (50.1 percent) were simply sharing articles without additional user comments. These results implicate that Facebook metric (a count of mentions of a research article on Facebook), as an important source of altmetrics, better reflects the attitudes or perceptions of the general public instead of academia.Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by enriching the understanding of Facebook metric as an academic and non-academic impact assessment tool for scientific publication. Through the content analysis of Facebook posts, it also draws insights into the ways in which non-academic audiences are engaging with scholarly outputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The Prison Rape Elimination Act has brought significant attention to the issue of sexual victimization within correctional institutions. While the actual risk of sexual victimization remains low, the perception of rape among inmates is high. Given how one's fear can translate into behavior, understanding how institutions impact the culture surrounding prison rape highlights areas for reducing violence within prisons. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This study includes secondary analysis of a quantitative database created from semi-structured interviews with 564 high security, general population inmates. Using fear of rape as the outcome of interest, bivariate and logistic regression analyses are used to comment on the impact of individual and facility level characteristics on this outcome. Findings In general, the results from this study suggest that the greatest risk factors for fearing rape while in prison are being male, having a mental health issue, and hearing about rape within the institution. From these specific findings a few general lessons can be learned with the hope that practitioners can translate these lessons into policy initiatives in order to combat fear of rape among our inmate population. Originality/value This paper aims to fill a gap in the research on how the facility contributes to the fear of rape within prison. The end goal is to inform policy makers so that suggestions can be made to combat this problem and prevent further misconduct within these facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on the evaluation of a one-day mental health wellness workshop which was delivered to male prisoners in an urban prison in the Republic of Ireland. Design/methodology/approach A mixed methods approach was used to evaluate the workshop. This paper presents the findings of the qualitative arm of the evaluation. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured telephone interviews with ten participants who had completed the programme. Findings The participants were overwhelmingly positive about the wellness workshop and the qualitative interviews articulated the ways that the workshop impacted on their ability to manage their own and other peoples mental health. Originality/value As prisons attempt to limit the negative impact of prison life, implementing recovery orientated approaches such as the wellness workshop can have a positive impact on prisoners' mental health as well as raising their awareness and improving their attitudes towards mental distress and suicide. The concepts of self-help and peer support, espoused by the workshop offer a real opportunity to equip interested prisoners with skills to support themselves and other prisoners who are in distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper aims to explore, for the first time over a long period of time, the autobiographical memory of Israeli veterans of the 1948 War, pertaining to the 1948 Palestinian exodus that led to the creation of the Palestinian refugee problem. Does this memory include the Zionist narrative (i.e. willing flight of the Palestinian refugees) or a critical narrative (i.e. willing flight and expulsion)? One of the primary sources to influence the collective memory of conflicts is the autobiographical memory. This memory is also one of the primary sources for research of the past. Thus, autobiographical memory is of importance.Design/methodology/approach Methodologically, this is done through an analysis of all 1948 veterans’ memoirs published between 1949 and 2004. Interviews were also conducted with various veterans, to understand the dynamics of their memoir publication.Findings Empirical findings suggest that during the first period (1949-1968), this memory was exclusively Zionist; during the second (1969-1978), it became slightly critical; and during the third (1979-2004), the critical tendency became more prevalent. Onward, the nine empirical causes for the presentation of exodus the way it was presented are discussed. Theoretical findings relate, inter alia, to the importance of micro factors in shaping the autobiographical memory, assembles seven such theoretical factors, suggests that these factors can influence in two ways (promoting collective memory change or inhibiting it), and that their impact can change over time.Originality/value Taken together, the paper contributes empirical and theoretical findings that are based on a solid and wide scope research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of expectation formation and matching for university student volunteers and their hosts.Design/methodology/approach This research involved a multi-stage data collection process including interviews with student volunteers, and university and host representatives from six Australian universities. The project team undertook an iterative process of coding and interpretation to identify themes and develop understanding of the phenomenon.Findings University student volunteering has the potential to fail to meet the expectations of at least one of the parties to the relationship when the expectations of the parties are not clearly articulated. Universities operating volunteer programmes have an important role in facilitating expectation formation and matching, minimising the chances of mismatched expectations.Research limitations/implications The study confirms the operation of a psychological contract for university student volunteers and organisations who host them which is consistent with other research in volunteering demonstrating the importance of matching expectations.Practical implications The paper identifies the importance of expectation formation and matching for hosts and students, and highlights the role of universities in facilitating matchmaking.Originality/value This paper contributes to the growing body of research on the role of the psychological contract in volunteering, in particular in university student volunteering and host organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The perspectives of people with dementia and their care partners regarding “extra care” housing are currently unknown. The purpose of this paper is to report findings of a consultation study exploring the perceived barriers and facilitators of a relocation to extra care housing, from the perspective of people living with dementia, and their care partners.Design/methodology/approach Fieldwork consisted of paired or 1-1 interviews and small focus groups with potential users of an alternative model of extra care support for people living with dementia in the South of England. The consultation took place between June and August 2013. The interviews and focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were analysed thematically.Findings Benefits of extra care were identified as the opportunity for couples to remain living together for longer, creating a supportive, dementia-friendly community, and a reduction in the strain experienced by the care partners. Barriers centred on a sense of loss, stress and uncertainty. Living and caring at home was perceived as preferable to shared care.Research limitations/implications The findings presented here have limited generalisability for two reasons. First, the shared care approach consulted on was very specific. Second, the participants form a purposive sample and as such are not representative of a wider population. Despite best intentions, the voice of people with dementia, are underreported in this consultation. Only one person with early on-set dementia was interviewed and the remaining two people with dementia were interviewed alongside their care partner.Practical implications The findings cast doubt on the viability of extra care facilities, designed for couples living with dementia, if extra care continues to be conceptualised and marketed as a preventative lifestyle choice. The findings indicate the value of consulting with people with dementia, and their care partners, when designing new forms of housing with care specifically for people living with dementia.Social implications The findings of this consultation exemplify the wish of couples living with dementia to remain together, in what they perceive to be “home”, for as long as possible. Couples living with dementia are therefore unlikely to wish to move into an extra care facility as a lifestyle choice option, early into their journey with dementia. This raises questions about the suitability of extra care, as a form of housing with care, for couples living with dementia.Originality/value This paper contributes to the body of literature, exploring the feasibility of new and innovative alternative care and housing options, for people with dementia. This paper is one of the first to explore extra care as a housing and social care option for couples with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper explores service provision for young fathers through analysis of data from the three-year ESRC funded project Following Young Fathers. The purpose of this paper is to explore the idea that young fathers are a “hard to reach” group. It begins with a discussion of literature and research evidence on this theme. The empirical discussion draws on data collected in interviews and focus groups with practitioners, service managers and those working to develop and deliver family support services.Design/methodology/approach The ESRC Following Young Fathers study used qualitative longitudinal methods to research the perspectives of fathers under the age of 25, mapping the availability of services to support them and investigating professional and policy responses to their needs. The strand reported on here focussed on the perspectives of a range of practitioners, service managers and those involved in developing and commissioning services.Findings The research findings, and those of other projects discussed in the paper, challenge the idea that young fathers are “hard to reach”, suggesting that we should, conversely, consider that many services are actually hard to access. Thus, increasing young fathers’ engagement requires better understanding of their often complex needs and a reshaping of service design and delivery to account for them. The paper highlights how the configuration, funding and delivery of services can inhibit young fathers’ use of them, and identifies ways in which they could be made more accessible.Originality/value The ESRC Following Young Fathers Study filled an important gap in knowledge about the lives of young fathers, developing understandings of their experiences and support needs. The strand reported on here draws on research with practitioners to provide an in-depth discussion of how services currently support young fathers, and how they could be better configured to address their often complex and diverse needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose With the development and application of mobile internet access, social media represented by Weibo, WeChat, etc. has become the main channel for information release and sharing. High-impact users in social networks are key factors stimulating the large-scale propagation of information within social networks. User influence is usually related to the user’s attention rate, activity level, and message content. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the authors focused on Sina Weibo users, centered on users’ behavior and interactive information, and formulated a weighted interactive information network model, then present a novel computational model for Weibo user influence, which combined multiple indexes such as the user’s attention rate, activity level, and message content influence, etc., the model incorporated the time dimension, through the calculation of users’ attribute influence and interactive influence, to comprehensively measure the user influence of Sina Weibo users.Findings Compared with other models, the model reflected the dynamics and timeliness of the user influence in a more accurate way. Extensive experiments are conducted on the real-world data set, and the results validate the performance of the approach, and demonstrate the effectiveness of the dynamics and timeliness. Due to the similarity in platform architecture and user behavior between Sina Weibo and Twitter, the calculation model is also applicable to Twitter.Originality/value This paper presents a novel computational model for Weibo user influence, which combined multiple indexes such as the user’s attention rate, activity level, and message content influence, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Informatics is a relatively new interdisciplinary field which is not very well understood outside of specific disciplinary communities. With a review of the history of informatics and a discussion of the various branches of informatics related to health-care practice, the paper aims to provide an overview designed to enhance the understanding of an information professional interested in this field.Design/methodology/approach The paper is designed to provide a basic introduction to the topic of informatics for information professionals unfamiliar with the field. Using a combination of historical and current sources, the role of informatics in the health professions is explored through its history and development.Findings The emergence of informatics as a discipline is a relatively recent phenomenon. Informatics is neither information technology (IT) nor information science but shares many common interests, concerns and techniques with these other two fields. The role of the informaticist is to transform data to knowledge and information. Consequently, while the outcomes may be different, there are many commonalities in informatics with the work information professionals perform.Originality/value Most introductions to informatics assume the reader is either an IT professional or a clinical practitioner in one of the health science fields. This paper takes a unique approach by positioning the discussion of the history and application of informatics in the health sciences from the perspective of the information professional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the discussion about the complexity and heterogeneity of entrepreneurship education. In order to achieve this objective, this paper combines educational psychology with perspectives from entrepreneurship education research to make explicit educators tacit assumptions in order to understand how these assumptions guide teaching. Design/methodology/approach – Using ethnographic analysis, the paper reports data from the continuous development and implementation of a single course over a period of ten years bringing in the educator’s and the students perspectives on their achievements and course content. Findings – The authors find that it is sometimes advantageous to invoke and combine different learning theories and approaches in order to promote entrepreneurial awareness and mindset. It is also necessary to move away from entrepreneurship education as being teacher led to being more student-centred and focused on experiential and existential lifelong learning practices. Practical implications – Practically, the authors make suggestions for the design and delivery of a course that demonstrates how four diverse learning theories can be combined to consolidate entrepreneurial learning in students invoking experiential and curiosity-based learning strategies. Originality/value – There are very few examples of concrete course designs that have been researched longitudinally in-depth using ethnographic methods. Moreover, most courses focus on the post-foundation period, whereas this paper presents a course that is a primer to the entrepreneurial process and exclusively centred on the pre-foundation phase. Rather than building on a single perspective, it combines a range of theories and approaches to create interplay and progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Social network sites have been widely adopted by politicians in the last election campaigns. To increase the effectiveness of these campaigns the potential electorate is to be identified, as targeted ads are much more effective than non-targeted ads. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to propose and implement a new methodology for automatic prediction of political orientation of users on social network sites by comparison to texts from the overtly political parties’ pages.Design/methodology/approach To this end, textual information on personal users’ pages is used as a source of statistical features. The authors apply automatic text categorization algorithms to distinguish between texts of users from different political wings. However, these algorithms require a set of manually labeled texts for training, which is typically unavailable in real life situations. To overcome this limitation the authors propose to use texts available on various political parties’ pages on a social network site to train the classifier. The political leaning of these texts is determined by the political affiliation of the corresponding parties. The classifier learned on such overtly political texts is then applied on the personal user pages to predict their political orientation. To assess the validity and effectiveness of the proposed methodology two corpora were constructed: personal Facebook pages of 450 Israeli citizens, and political parties Facebook pages of the nine prominent Israeli parties.Findings The authors found that when a political tendency classifier is trained and tested on data in the same corpus, accuracy is very high. More significantly, training on manifestly political texts (political party Facebook pages) yields classifiers which can be used to classify non-political personal Facebook pages with fair accuracy.Social implications Previous studies have shown that targeted ads are more effective than non-targeted ads leading to substantial saving in the advertising budget. Therefore, the approach for automatic determining the political orientation of users on social network sites might be adopted for targeting political messages, especially during election campaigns.Originality/value This paper proposes and implements a new approach for automatic cross-corpora identification of political bias of user profiles on social network. This suggests that individuals’ political tendencies can be identified without recourse to any tagged personal data. In addition, the authors use learned classifiers to determine which self-identified centrists lean left or right and which voters are likely to switch allegiance in subsequent elections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Employing brief, low-intensity, face-to-face parenting programs can result in improvements in parenting and child behavior; however, their usefulness is often limited by low participation rates. Online technologies are increasingly presented as a panacea for promoting program reach in a cost-effective way. The extant literature, however, provides limited guidance on issues around the implementation of online parenting programs. Grow is a universal, health-promoting parenting program that targets families with 5–10 year olds and was developed for face-to-face delivery and then adapted for a web-based format. The purpose of this paper is to present implementation results from feasibility proof of concept studies of Grow Face-to-Face and Grow Online and explores issues regarding mode of delivery and parent participation. Design/methodology/approach: Data were gathered from participants using attendance records, end-of-module/session surveys and semi-structured, in-depth interviews, and were examined using descriptive statistics and inductive thematic analysis. Findings: Findings suggest that, compared to the online implementation, recruitment was more difficult for the face-to-face implementation. Conversely, retention in the online program was poorer than in the face-to-face program. Participants from both programs self-reported high levels of engagement and satisfaction. Parents who completed Grow Online expressed a desire for more interpersonal interactions, which suggests a possible need for hybrid programs that combine online technologies with traditional face-to-face modes of delivery. Originality/value: These findings challenge the idea that the internet can fully address barriers to parenting program participation by showing that while parents may sign up more readily for an online program, they may struggle to complete all modules. This is problematic as program dosage can influence parent and child outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]