Search

This study focused on how adopted adults who have reunited with at least one birth family member experienced identity shifts related to their original birth certificates (OBCs). Framed by the Communication Theory of Identity (CTI), 50 adopted adults discussed their experiences related to their OBCs and how their identities are connected to this symbol through three of the layers of CTI, the personal, enacted, and relational layers. Participants discussed the presence of an ambiguous and unsolvable identity that interpenetrated with their other identity layers. Findings extend CTI to include an additional layer for adoptees – phantom identity – which can explain the life adoptees would have lived had they not been adopted. This identity was salient for participants as it manifested in ways such as expressing frustration with obstacles in gaining access to their OBC and refocusing their professional life to support other adopted adults. Moreover, findings offer implications for the examination into current adoption record practices in the United States, additional state mutual consent registries, and increased access to adoption-competent counselors for adoptees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was to verify the use of organisational culture and strategic management in the public sector, specifically in school management. To do this, a systematic literature was used. As a result, we presented a survey of the papers on the state of the art of the subject and analysed the heterogeneity of the returned papers. In addition, we analysed 348 papers presenting the search strings on the Web of Science and Scopus, the increase in the theme in recent years, the number of authors, the countries of the researchers, the research approaches, and the word cloud of returned themes. We also made a preliminary bibliometric analysis. We concluded the importance of a systematic review to point out a research gap and provided a systematic review protocol for the area and related research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is the first installment of a two-part paper aimed at assessing whether the theory of postnormal times provides an appropriate framework for examining the evolution of public trust in the media. Building upon previous studies that have explored the applicability of postnormal times theory in explaining changes in the new century, this paper specifically examines communication as a new case study, delving into factors that either foster or impede trust in the media. This paper argues that communication, both as a theoretical disclipine and as a human activity, exhibits characteristics of postnormality. It contends that not only does communication adhere to the tenets of postnormal times, but it also serves as one of the principal indicators of postnormality on a global scale, particularly concerning trust in the media. The article evaluates the suitability of postnormal times theory to study the recent evolution of communication. It then conducts a review of existing literature on trust in the media and proposes a roadmap for constructing prospective scenarios through the Three Tomorrows’ approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With series on conventional television and pay TV platforms now a key element of media consumption, they have gained increasing academic attention in the last decade, both as a main object of study and in combination with other social phenomena. However, the boundaries of this line of research, which draws together researchers from different fields, have become increasingly blurred. This paper undertook a bibliometric investigation to understand how this line of research has come about, what its characteristics are, the main streams within it, and the extent to which the rise in publications reflects a mature and consolidated field of research in its own right. This analysis focused on the development of scientific production on television series indexed by database Scopus between 2010 and 2019 (n = 1,679 documents). More specifically, this study analyzed authorship, journals, national output and international collaboration, co-citation of keywords to ascertain the main intellectual trends in the area and the co-occurrence of references to find out if there is a theoretical body of works that serve as a foundation for this research. The results show symptoms of immaturity, such as a lack of continuity in authority, little concurrence between specialized journals and the most cited authors and works, vagueness in both the keyword clusters and the papers that are often cited together. In addition, a large number of the most cited works come from fields outside Communication that consider television series an accessory aspect of their main theme, such as their impact on the influx of tourists as a result due to the consumption of cultural works. On the other hand, this points to a strong, versatile line of research capable of hosting research on new and old media and related to various topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a simple, quotient effect size, termed q (for 'quotient'), suitable for reporting on the effectiveness of educational interventions. The quotient effect size for a pre-test-post-test design is defined as the gain score (i.e. post-test minus pre-test) for the intervention group, divided by the gain score for the control group. This quotient effect size measure is easy to calculate and interpret, and, like Cohen's d , is scale-free. However, it achieves scale independence without acquiring the well-reported difficulties that arise with standardized effect sizes, such as Cohen's d , as a result of incorporating the standard deviation. Since the standard deviation is sensitive to many factors that are unrelated to 'the effect', Cohen's d is not a pure measure of 'effect'. By contrast, the quotient effect size, q , is dimensionless, without needing to involve the standard deviation, and is consequently intuitively easy to comprehend and communicate. For example, a q of 1.2 would mean that the intervention group improved by 20% more than the control group did. This paper explores the advantages of using q as an effect size for reporting on the effectiveness of educational interventions, as compared with Cohen's d , and addresses some possible objections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) approaches offer expressive and receptive supports for the segment of the population of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have little or no functional speech. The National Center for Autism Evidence and Practice (NCAEP) declared augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions for individuals with autism an "evidence-based practice." Following a brief analysis of the breakdown of studies included in NCAEP by dependent variable, we introduce each of the four papers published as part of this special issue on Advances in Augmentative and Alternative Communication Research for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In addition to elucidating the contributions and advances of each paper to the research base, including the NCAEP report, we provide a critical commentary as applicable in the hopes of stimulating and guiding further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drive towards living well with dementia has resulted in a growing recognition of the value of community-based participatory arts activities. This review aimed to explore their overall impact and holistic benefits for people with early to moderate stages of dementia. Using a scoping review methodology and thematic analysis, this review explored relevant literature published between 2008 and 2019. 26 published papers were identified, comprising visual arts, literary arts, comedy, music and dance. The key themes included person-centred, in-the-moment approaches; participation and communication; attention and cognition; social cohesion and relationships; and the role of space, place and objects. There is strong evidence in support of using participatory arts for dementia, regardless of art form. In-the-moment and person-centred approaches were deemed impactful. Further research is needed to explore the importance of setting, material culture and the methodological or theoretical perspectives in participatory arts and dementia research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hospital to home transfers for older people require effective communication, coordination and collaboration across multiple service settings. Rural Nursing Theory and the Beyond Periphery model explain why this is particularly difficult in rural areas, but there are few examples of how rural services respond. This paper presents a case study of the district of Tärnaby in the inland north of Sweden. Data are drawn from interviews with health and care staff in Tärnaby, observations, and experiences of the researchers. Data were analyzed thematically, with four main themes emerging – role clarity, communication, geography, and understanding of the rural context. Responses to challenges included increasing opportunities for communication between service providers and improving documentation. The paper concludes that informal "workarounds" run the risk of further disconnecting rural service settings from "the city". Rather, the aim needs to be to improve contextual understanding through formally incorporating "the rural" in service design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, relying on a thematic review of the literature, aimed to explore the influence of culture on human relations, particularly on love. We highlighted the innate need of humans to belong and be part of a community and, moreover, partake in an intimate relationship. Most humans yearn for intimacy, and thus it was defined and described. In our Western culture, intimacy is often found in marriage, usually built on love. Love, if not nurtured, may fade, and so we described what happens when it does. Romantic relationships, where love is usually expressed and actualized, were examined, including how it is shown, how time affects love, and what causes love relationships to be marred by loneliness. The main part of the paper is devoted to examining the effect of culture on love, its expression, and on romantic relationships. While love may be universal, its development, expression, and importance in intimate relationships differ depending on the culture and era in which it occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on research into co-creation labs as a tool for exploring environmental communication. Co-creation labs are novel spaces for experimentation, social learning, and trans-disciplinary as well as cross-sectoral collaboration for sustainability transformations. This paper examines the approach taken by researchers to theorising, via a repurposing of the 2×2 scenario matrix, a series of "labs" that represent diverse spaces in which to explore co-creative convergence through transformative learning processes. In addition, examples from work done to date are offered to illustrate progress in implementing these labs and testing the strengths and weaknesses of these co-creative spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to and utilization of preventive health services are diversely distributed among immigrants. This paper aims to test the impact of structural, socio-economic, cultural, and contextual factors, and to test whether the acculturation theory holds true for migrants in Italy. Based on the "Social Condition and Integration of Foreign Citizens" survey (2011–2012), this paper shows that utilization of preventive health services among immigrants depends on structural characteristics and highlights the relevance of social interactions between foreigners and natives. Finally, the paper concludes that the acculturation model holds true for immigrants in Italy. [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]

This paper addresses the critiques based on trade-offs and normativity presented in response to our target article proposing the Public Health Emergency Risk and Crisis Communication (PHERCC) framework. These critiques highlight the ethical dilemmas in crisis communication, particularly the balance between promoting public autonomy through transparent information and the potential stigmatization of specific population groups, as illustrated by the discussion of the mpox outbreak among men who have sex with men. This critique underscores the inherent tension between communication effectiveness and autonomy versus fairness and equity. In response, our paper reiterates the adaptability of the PHERCC framework, emphasizing its capacity to tailor messages to diverse audiences, thereby reducing potential stigmatization and misinformation. Through community engagement and feedback integration, the PHERCC framework aims to optimize the effectiveness of communication strategies while addressing ethical concerns. Furthermore, by involving affected communities in the communication strategy from the onset, the framework seeks to minimize ethical trade-offs and enhance the acceptance and effectiveness of public health messages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The awareness that museums must be inclusive and participatory led to practices adapted to visitors' requirements and co-creative experiences, encouraging interaction with exhibitions, and thus fostering memorable experiences. Yet, constraints remain for people with disabilities, reducing their satisfaction and desire to return. Despite the high number of people with visual impairments worldwide, there is a lack of research on factors that may impact their co-creation in museums. This paper aims to identify factors influencing the co-creation of people with visual impairments experiences in museums, either facilitating or constraining it. Based on focus groups discussion, the results of the study conducted suggest that the co-creation of people with visual impairments in museums is influenced both by aspects related to visitors, as well as by disabling features of the museums' physical, communicational, and attitudinal environments. Conclusions and implications drawn are critical to improve the experience of people with visual impairments in museums. This article highlights that despite the high number of people with visual impairments worldwide, many still face constraints when visiting museums. The article reveals that several museums offer opportunities for interacting with the whole museum environment and co-creating value, to trigger memorable experiences. This paper fills a research gap by analysing how a set of factors influence people with visual impairments to get involved in co-creation in museums, either facilitating or constraining it. The research found that the factors that influence co-creation of experiences of people with visual impairments in museums can be related to the visitors or to the museums, including physical, communicational and attitudinal aspects. The article provides guidelines to improve the co-creation in museums of people with visual impairments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the educational context of identifying the critical ingredients of an effective speech-language pathologist, this paper highlights the centrality of theory in underpinning every level of our practice. A spotlight is placed on us knowing how language and communication work, what makes our interventions work, how we can make the most difference through our choices in therapy, and what makes both us and our clients respond. So, what are the critical ingredients of an effective speech-language pathologist, of an effective therapy, of an effective therapeutic alliance, and why is this so important? While there are many foundational and guiding habits upon which new graduates, early career, and experienced clinicians shape their practice, no one habit is regarded as more important than us exploring the theoretical underpinnings of what we are doing and why. To underscore the role of theory in our everyday practice, a discourse level intervention for people with aphasia is used as an exemplar to track the complex contribution of different theories to a single intervention. Discourse level interventions are relatively new on the scene in the area of acquired language disorders. Child language interventions, on the other hand, have frequently revolved around the story, aiming to bridge the oral-literate divide through the development of narrative structure. This paper will aim to weave its own story around discourse level interventions, combining the narrative genre with the everyday genres used by adults in conversation. I will highlight how this approach taps into lexical theories, sentence processing theories, discourse organisation, and the cognitive underpinnings of language, and closely examine how this multilayering of language in context may hold some of the answers to questions around generalisation, impact, and making the greatest difference to individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities are increasingly focused on preparing graduates with strong disciplinary and interdisciplinary skills to increase student employability. In accounting education however, the development of employability skills remains a concern among graduates and employers. One strategy for enhancing employability is to engage students in industry-based experiences through work-integrated learning (WIL). This paper introduces a novel, industry-led WIL experience embedded in an Australian university's accounting and financial planning curriculum and investigates students' perceptions of employability skills developed through this intervention. In this WIL experience, industry professionals workshopped multidisciplinary skills and provided feedback to students following a simulated work-based scenario. Data was analysed from student surveys and reflections and showed that students perceived this approach as effective for developing employability skills such as teamwork and communication and for aligning theory to praxis. This paper supports endorsing alternative WIL models and industry collaborations in accounting education to enhance graduate employability skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ubuntu is a relational philosophy which is best known through the axiom, 'umuntu ngubuntu ngabantu' a person is a person through other persons. Transactional Analysis (TA) as a relational theory as well, is used in this paper, to expand on the understanding of the Ubuntu proverb. Existential life position, 'I'm OK, You're OK' and constructs of TA such as transgenerational scripts, stroking and physis are utilized to expand on the meaning of 'umuntu ngubuntu ngabantu.' Based on the provisions of TA, the African axiom is connected to aspects of child development, parenting, communication, sustainable development, spirituality and ecological social work. Significantly, the discourse argues that 'umuntu ngubuntu ngabantu' should never be divorced from the values of the African philosophy which include kindness, forgiveness, hospitality, humanness, social justice, human rights, social solidarity, liberty and other positive virtues. Thus, this paper is a plea for a TA and ubuntu informed social work practice that can entangle humanity from the negative transactional scripts whilst reinforcing the positive ones. To its end, the paper questions what this generation will be remembered for when it becomes the living dead (ancestors). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication between patients and clinicians influences the development of therapeutic relationships. Communication is disrupted when the patient has communication impairments after stroke. However, how these communication disruptions influence therapeutic relationships is not well-understood. This qualitative metasynthesis explores the perspectives of people with communication impairment to understand how interpersonal communication influences therapeutic relationships. Four databases were searched for qualitative studies which discussed how communication influenced therapeutic relationships from the perspectives of people with aphasia, dysarthria or apraxia of speech. Additional papers were identified through citation searching and subject experts. Nineteen eligible papers were included and analysed using thematic analysis. Four themes were constructed from the analysis: (1) Relationships provide the foundation for rehabilitation; (2) Different relational possibilities arise from "reading" the clinician; (3) Creating therapeutic relationships through validating interactions and connections; and (4) Creating therapeutic disconnections through invalidating, exclusionary interactions. A therapeutic relationship develops, at least in part, in response to the clinician's communication and how this is received and experienced by the patient. Understanding the characteristics of relationship-fostering communication and knowing how communication influences relationships can help clinicians critically reflect on their communication and better develop therapeutic relationships with people with communication impairment. Practitioner-patient communication can facilitate therapeutic relationships or create therapeutic disconnections. Communication patterns that are commonly evident when a patient has communication impairments can impede therapeutic relationships. Clinicians need to attend to how their communication is received and how it influences people's sense of self. Communication partner training should address the existential and relational needs of people with communication impairment after stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper argues that public addresses of heads of state are critical for public health policy during pandemics. Drawing insights from studies that investigate metaphors and frames in political and public health discourses, it explores how the Philippine government, especially President Rodrigo Duterte, framed COVID-19. In doing so, it hopes to broaden the understanding of how political rhetoric may be constitutive of public health policy. The analysis of the public addresses entailed three interrelated levels: (1) a description of broad historical, social, political, and cultural contexts of public addresses under investigation, (2) an explanation of the communicative situation including the production and consumption of these addresses—processes that mediate between the text and context, and (3) a textual analysis, which substantiates how the discursive patterns are realized through the president's rhetorical choices. Our analysis reveals that the president consistently deployed the rhetorical strategies of (1) enemization, (2) legitimization of the incumbent administration, and (3) dismissal of critics. The configuration of these strategies sustains a binaristic discourse structure that lays blame on a political other while the government asserts its legitimacy during a public health crisis. These rhetorical strategies organize support for public health policy by a populist administration to manage COVID-19. Implications of political rhetoric to public health and risk communication are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this co-produced paper, we write about a collaboration that developed over more than a decade between a service user advisor and a social work educator within a higher education context. Starting with how we came to work together, the paper outlines early apprehensions about service user involvement, both as we experienced them and as expressed by colleagues, students, and managers. The paper discusses such themes as confidentiality, professional boundaries, and power imbalance. As authors w identify principles that have underpinned our relationship as well as obstacles faced and understandings reached. We emphasise possibilities discovered from this project which may have application for other courses and settings for the service user advisor role. As we write, we are confronting a new challenge as one of us continues in the work and one of us retires from it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of 'patient-centered care' was touted as a pillar of good clinical practice and endorsed by the US Institute of Medicine in a seminal 2001 publication. We explore the extent to which differing medical specialties have engaged with the concept over the last 20 years and how and why this attention has varied among a sample of medical specialties since 2001. Reference to patient-centered care in the medical literature for selected specialties was used as a proxy for clinical application of patient-centered care in those disciplines. We undertook a statistical analysis and historical review of the medical literature that references the concept of patient-centered care in pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN), orthopedics, radiology, dermatology, and neurosurgery. We analyzed the extent to which the literature referencing patient-centered care has changed for the six disciplines since first mentioned in the Institute of Medicine 2001 publication. We measured changes over time in reference to patient-centered care in the medical literature for the six diverse medical specialties. The six disciplines differed significantly in reference to patient-centered care when comparing publications between the disciplines (p < 0.001). Pediatrics showed the most extensive reference to the concept followed by OB-GYN. In contrast, patient-centered care was hardly mentioned in dermatology and neurosurgery, nor orthopedics or radiology. When correcting for the number of papers published in the different fields, reference to patient-centered care is ~18X more common in pediatrics than in neurosurgery. Uptake, attention, and applicability of the principles of patient-centered care have varied over the last 20 years. Differences among specialties appear to reflect true differences in patient centricities in the disciplines, with higher uptake in specialties that are person-oriented rather than technique-oriented. Greater engagement with patient-centered care correlates strongly with the number of female physicians in each field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify participation-focused measures used for young people with cerebral palsy (CP), evaluate their psychometric evidence, and map item content to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF), and family of Participation-Related Constructs (fPRC) frameworks. Four databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL) were searched for papers that involved young people with CP aged 15 to 25 years and reported original data from a participation measure. Each measure was examined for validity, reliability, responsiveness (using the COSMIN checklist), clinical utility, the inclusion of accessible design features, self- and/or proxy-report from people with communication support needs, and item content according to ICF and fPRC. Of 895 papers, 80 were included for review. From these, 26 measures were identified. Seven measures (27 papers/resources) were participation-focused, capable of producing a score for participation Attendance and/or Involvement. Of these, all measured Attendance (n = 7) but fewer than half measured Involvement (n = 3). Few included studies (37%) reported including some self-report of people with communication support needs. Participation measures for young people with CP are evolving but require more: (i) emphasis on measurement of involvement; (ii) investigation of psychometric properties; and (iii) adaptation to enable self-report by young people with communication support needs. Identifies seven participation-focused measures which are available for young people with cerebral palsy, all seven measure Attendance and three measure Involvement. Provides a decision-making tool to assist clinicians and researchers with the selection of participation-focused measures for young people with cerebral palsy. Recommends that more accessible self-report measures are needed which capture age-appropriate participation of young people with cerebral palsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many elements associated with aphasia, its assessment and treatment, and its effects on individuals living with this disorder have been examined. However, the implications for people with aphasia of living alone has not been a focus. Factors such as living alone, ageing, aphasia, gender, depression (and suicide), comorbid physical impairments and mortality converge and intersect with each other to have a profound effect on those individuals with aphasia who live alone. This study aimed to explore the research relating to people with aphasia living alone (PWALA), as well as to identify knowledge gaps and the key characteristics related to this topic. The PRISMA scoping review methodology was selected to search the current literature. Online databases (Google Scholar and five electronic journal databases) were used to identify relevant papers, predominantly published since the year 2000. From 1201 papers initially identified, 115 relating to the topic were imported into NVivo Qualitative Research Software and analysed into themes. From the 74 papers directly relating to the topic, seven themes emerged: emotional status, communication, identity, independence, family relationships, friends/visitors and daily activities. It was unclear how the experiences of PWALA compared to those not living alone from these papers as the information provided mainly reflected the studies' research questions, not specifically the fact that the person concerned was living alone. There is an obvious and urgent need to investigate the lived experience of PWALA. However, two key areas require immediate attention. PWALA require early and ongoing assessment, monitoring and intervention for depression, and also the implementation of strategies and programs to decrease loneliness and social isolation. This scoping review relating to PWALA revealed that insufficient attention has been paid to the specific issues and implications of aphasia for this sub-population. An urgent investigation of a diverse sample of PWALA using in-depth supportive interviewing techniques is needed to explore the personal experiences and perceptions of living alone. Based on this, strategies and programs can be developed or adapted to address and ameliorate the specific exigencies of PWALA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk and crisis communication (RCC) is a current ethical issue subject to controversy, mainly due to the tension between individual liberty (a core component of fairness) and effectiveness. In this paper we propose a consistent definition of the RCC process in public health emergencies (PHERCC), which comprises six key elements: evidence, initiator, channel, publics, message, and feedback. Based on these elements and on a detailed analysis of their role in PHERCC, we present an ethical framework to help design, govern and evaluate PHERCC strategies. The framework aims to facilitate RCC, incorporating effectiveness, autonomy, and fairness. It comprises five operational ethical principles: openness, transparency, inclusivity, understandability, and privacy. The resulting matrix helps understanding the interplay between the PHERCC process and the principles of the framework. The paper includes suggestions and recommendations for the implementation of the PHERCC matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a cultural analysis of the popular Kuwaiti TV series Men Sharea El Haram (translated as From Haram Street). Combining religion, class, race, nationality, and patriarchy, Haram Street showcases pertinent issues that today's Kuwaiti society has to face. Attending to the scarcity of previous research on vernacular communities and their salient concerns, this paper explores the following research questions: How does Men Sharea El Haram capture the intersecting nature of women's resistance? What does a feminist Kuwaiti vernacular look like, and how does it intersect with privilege? The analysis outlines how Men Sharea El Haram touches upon several silenced themes in the conservative Kuwaiti society of Kuwait, showing the many and varied ways in which Kuwaiti women are oppressed and showcasing the ways in which women can—and do—resist. Together, the findings provide a deeper understanding of several central issues in Kuwaiti society, especially around masculinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper raises and addresses issues to do with leadership and child psychotherapy, beginning with a report on a systematic review of papers about leadership in the Journal of Child Psychotherapy (JCP). The authors establish that leadership is expressed implicitly rather than as an important issue in its own right with relevance to clinical work, service development and the ongoing viability of psychoanalytic child psychotherapy. When reviewing the limited literature available, the authors classify them into five types of article: tribute to leaders past; clinical leadership; threat to survival and call to action; organisational leadership; and exemplary papers describing professional leadership. The authors query why the leadership literature is sparse and inexplicit and respond by using the theme of 'dual citizenship' to explore the issue from a psychoanalytic and organisational perspective. The psychoanalytic perspective explores tensions and barriers that may be profession-specific in relation to leadership. The organisational perspective explores the wider literature on leadership, starting with the concept of 'wicked problems and clumsy solutions'. The authors introduce and describe a 'leadership stance' that is compatible with psychoanalytic practice in context. This requires opening up leadership activity to the same scrutiny and reflective practice as clinical work, which provides ways of containing organisational and career anxieties and perplexing clinical problems. This paper is a call to action in regard to integrating leadership into the training and the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the critical potential of rhetorical studies to inform a concept of reflexivity for social professions. In response to an increasing turn towards technical notions of professional identity across social professions, a renewed critical emphasis on reflective practice, critical reflection, and reflexivity positions professional practice as inevitably an interpretive and discursive endeavor. Despite the growing attention to professional discourse in the current reflection-debate in the social sciences, thus far there has not been a comprehensive exploration of how rhetorical studies can deepen our understanding of reflexivity and can stimulate reflexive attitudes in social professions. Building on conceptual and empirical research in the domain of 'new rhetorical studies' as well as on my own research, I examine the various methodological and pedagogical tools rhetoric offers to encourage students to reflect on the interpretive and discursive dimensions of their practice and discipline in critical and productive ways. I argue that a strengthened intersection between rhetorical studies and social sciences can add to the knowledge base on critical and reflexive professional attitudes by deepening our understanding of human interaction in the social world and of how knowledge about this social world can be reflexively produced and mediated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The student-faculty dialogue (SFD) program brings students and faculty members together for five monthly group meetings in one academic semester. Each month, students and faculty engage in meaningful conversations to share and learn about each other's experiences on campus. Nine undergraduate students, two graduate students, and four faculty participated in this study. All participants completed a pretest before the first meeting and a posttest after the final meeting. I compared pretest and posttest results to understand participant experiences, including how their perspectives changed as a result of taking part in the five-month SFD program. I compared mean scores associated with participants' responses to quantitative Likert scale questions about their current interpersonal communication skills. I also summarized qualitative question responses to understand how study participants' perspectives changed as a result of engaging in dialogue together. This paper ends with implications, limitations, and recommended research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The burden of malnutrition experienced globally, coupled with the increasing rate of micronutrient deficiencies, compromises the health and well-being of women during their reproductive years. Obesity places young South African women at particular risk during pregnancy, and increases obesity risk for their offspring. To address these risks, the Bukhali trial is being implemented in Soweto, South Africa with 18–28-year-old women, as part of the Healthy Lifestyle Trajectory Initiative. A dietitian is part of the Bukhali intervention team (community health workers) to provide nutritional support for overweight/obese trial participants, making use of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Nutrition Checklist. This paper reflects on the experiences and lessons learned by the Bukhali dietitian, including the use of the FIGO Nutrition Checklist and Healthy Conversation Skills to facilitate conversations about making healthy dietary behaviour changes. Identified challenges that influence nutrition and behaviour are discussed, including lack of food affordability, cultural and social influences on healthy food choices, unsupportive environments and food insecurity. Strategies to optimise this nutritional support are also mentioned. The Bukhali trial is showing that introducing additional nutrition support by a dietitian for at-risk participants has the potential to encourage young women to prioritise nutrition and health, even in the midst of contextual challenges to both nutrition and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers matters of time in online mental health peer support. Significant evidence of the value of peer support exists, with new digital platforms emerging as part of the digitisation of mental health support. This paper draws from a project exploring the impact of digital platforms on peer support through interviews with users of a major UK-based online peer support platform. Drawing on Gilles Deleuze's concept of the 'living present', the paper highlights how notions of past, present and future operate as co-existing dimensions of the present. The analysis highlights how the immediacy of digital platforms elicits expectations of peer support being 'on tap', which creates challenges when support is not received synchronously. Unlike in-person support, digital platforms facilitate the archiving of support, which can (re)enter the present at any moment through asynchronous communication. Anticipations of the future feature as dimensions of the present in terms of feelings regarding when support may no longer be needed. The paper offers potential implications for social scientific understanding of digital peer support, which include valuable insight for mental health services designing and delivering digital peer support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to support conservators to be recognised as positive changemakers. Effective changemakers can diagnose their experience of change, recognise their opportunity to negotiate and influence outcomes, identify the scale and depth of change required and the impact that change will have on others. Conservation practice has change at its core, with interventions on objects, collections or buildings that change them or their environment: beneficial conservation is cooperative and inclusive in how those changes are conceived and delivered. The paper considers change beyond conservation treatments offering a selection of tools and techniques to help diagnose and deliver change. The importance of engaging others in discussions and decision-making for delivering positive change is stressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication skills are highly sought after by employers, as industry reports repeatedly show. At the same time, those reports also reveal that many employers are dissatisfied with their newly hired graduates' communication skills. In addition, increasing globalisation has led to the call for 'global graduates' who can function well in culturally diverse contexts. Considering both aspects, it is important, to explore which factors help foster students' global communication skills. This paper investigates this issue, testing the impact of potential factors identified from previous literature. Data was collected from 2359 students in seven different institutions located in five different countries. A linear regression model was tested to identify those factors which most contribute to global communication skills development. Results show that motivation to improve communication skills and the experience of social and academic integration into the campus community made the most significant contribution to participants' higher levels of global communication skills development. Besides, students who were presented with relevant opportunities and support from their respective institution and those engaged with foreign languages also demonstrated higher levels of global communication skills development. The paper concludes that for students to acquire the communication skills needed for working successfully in diverse contexts, and hence to become 'global graduates', it is essential that they venture out of their comfort zones and engage with the diverse campus community. At the same time, this engagement requires universities' guidance and support to help maximise the learning gains from such intercultural encounters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telepractice for people with aphasia (PWA) is gaining importance, not least because of the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Many PWA are affected by a reduction of quality of life (QoL). Experts recommend focussing on psychosocial impacts more consistently, but the transfer to telepractice has been investigated in a limited number of studies so far. The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of different telepractice approaches on QoL in PWA. The evidence was identified through a broad literature research in five databases and other sources such as Google Scholar and referring papers or was searched by hand. In total, twelve studies met the eligibility criteria. Focus of the analysis was the association between therapeutic approaches and their effects on QoL. Half (n = 6) of the included studies clearly indicated positive effects of the applied methods on QoL. Further analysis showed no definable link between the therapeutic approaches and their impact on QoL. Nevertheless, decisive assumptions about QoL-enhancing telepractice can be derived from the literature. Telepractice in aphasia therapy can improve the patients' QoL. Benefits for QoL do not only depend on the utilised approach. Several factors (e.g., enhancing of communicative confidence) are significant in their impact on QoL and should be examined in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Routines and rituals are ubiquitous across scholarship in family communication yet are overlapping and idiosyncratic concepts, making a clear distinction between them difficult. This paper builds clarification around the concepts by arguing for attending to what we call the routinized and ritualized aspects of family activities. We demonstrate this approach's utility through a qualitative thematic discourse analysis of 697 Twitter posts discussing the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on family food practices in the United States. We identify three themes that convey the broad impacts of lockdown conditions on family food practices: bolstering, disruption, and reimagining. We then analyze each theme's salience within daily meals and holiday meals – two food provisioning sites frequently considered routines and rituals, respectively. Theoretically, this paper forwards a conceptualization of routines and rituals that delineates the symbolic and instrumental elements embedded within each; empirically, it demonstrates the multifaced effects of the pandemic on family food life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Pictograms may improve user-friendliness and comprehension of written or verbal health information. This paper describes a method to modify pictograms to improve their visual clarity, appeal and overall interpretive complexity in order to reduce the cognitive load on the viewer during comprehension. Nine pictograms previously tested for comprehension were selected for modification. In phase 1, two participatory design workshops were conducted with (a) three limited literacy, first-language isiXhosa-speaking participants and (b) four university students. Opinions and ideas for improving interpretation were discussed. In phase 2, revised visuals were generated by the graphic artist and subsequently modified in an intensive, multistage, iterative process. As no guidelines for pictogram modification exist, a modification schema was developed based on the process described in this study. Adopting a participatory approach combined with a systematic, intensive modification process enabled the opinions and preferences of the end-users to be heard, ensuring cultural relevance and contextual familiarity of the final product. Careful scrutiny of all individual visual elements of each pictogram, considerations of space, and thickness of lines all contributed to improving the legibility of visuals. The methodology for designing and modifying existing pictograms using a participatory process resulted in nine final pictograms that were approved by all design team members and considered good candidates for subsequent comprehension testing. The methodological schema presented in this paper provides guidance to researchers intending to design or modify pictograms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of engaging families in mental health care is recognised and endorsed by governments worldwide, however service users' perspectives of family involvement are not well understood. This study sought to summarise the literature regarding how service users view the involvement of family in their engagement with services and care. A search was conducted within the following databases for manuscripts published in the last 10 years: PsycINFO, CINAHLPlus, PubMed and Scopus. Of the 4251 eligible papers 17 met the inclusion criteria for review and were subjected to quality appraisal using the RATS (relevance, appropriateness, transparency, soundness) qualitative research review guidelines. Thematic analysis identified four primary themes: family involvement can be positive and negative; barriers to family involvement; family involvement is variable; and communication and collaboration among stakeholders. Identifying the barriers to family involvement and heterogeneity among service users' views were key findings of this review. Despite the widely reported benefits of including families in mental health care it does not always occur. A clearer and more nuanced understanding of service users' needs and preferences for family involvement is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the issues of bioeconomy perception of students at forestry faculties in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Bioeconomy is seen as a great window of opportunities, hence there is increased demand for bioeconomy education. This paper can help answer this demand and improve the curricula of universities providing bioeconomy-related education. The survey was conducted at the Technical University in Zvolen and the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague among 367 students. The results show that 70% of students have heard about bioeconomy, while this number is significantly higher amongst Slovak students. Considering bioeconomy awareness, we identified significant differences between different study programmes. The main information source about the bioeconomy issues turns out to be university courses followed by news. Czech students turned out to be less satisfied with bioeconomy involvement in curricula, and who also find it necessary to increase bioeconomy focus within their study curriculum. Our results show that targeted communication of bioeconomy is a key factor for general acceptance of bioeconomy and its further development among students and the general public. The results obtained can be used to increase the extent to which bioeconomy is being addressed in study programmes within the analysed universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contextualises a keynote address delivered at the 2022 Speech Pathology Australia National Conference in Melbourne, Australia. The paper aligns with the conference theme of Beyond Borders from the perspective of moving beyond borders of regular practice to develop strong partnerships and networks within our communities to advocate and support necessary change. Change or enhancement to current practice is necessary if we are to reduce current inequities in education experienced by many children in our communities, including those with communication challenges. Strengths-based and culturally responsive literacy approaches to supporting children within the context of their family and community are increasingly gaining support as we address this challenge. The Better Start Literacy Approach (Te Ara Reo Matatini), currently being implemented in junior school classrooms across New Zealand is described. It is one example of large-scale implementation of a strengths-based and culturally responsive early literacy approach, based on the science of reading. Data support the effectiveness of the Better Start Literacy Approach in significantly enhancing the foundational literacy skills of 5- and 6-year-old children, including those who commence school with lower levels of oral language ability. Through establishing strong partnerships within communities, speech pathologists have much to offer in motivating systems level change to enhance early literacy success for all learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights an understudied perspective on post-truth ideas in online popular communication through an examination of online popular communication during the Ethiopian conflict (or the Tigray War). It argues, in particular, that the epistemic contestations characteristic of the hybrid media environment needs to always be understood as double-layered: contemporary digital media functions both as a site where such contestations can be researched but, at the same time, the theories and frameworks of knowledge we use to articulate the debates need to be also critically contested theories originating from the West not necessarily valid in other parts of the world without critical examination. To specify the theoretical arguments made, the paper will use a mixed-method analysis that combines digital ethnographic research with a large-scale analysis of visual imagery shared on Twitter to understand popular communication and propaganda during the conflict/war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective communication in interprofessional rehabilitation teams is essential for optimal patient care. Despite the established importance, it remains unclear how interprofessional communication (IPC) within teams contributes to rehabilitation service delivery. The aim of this scoping review was to investigate how IPC has been described in rehabilitation literature. Databases (Medline, CINAHL, ERIC, Embase, PsychInfo, and Academic Search Complete) were searched for studies including rehabilitation interprofessional communication. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were identified and applied, data were charted, and thematic analysis conducted. Twenty-nine papers were identified, and analysis revealed interrelated themes: communication processes, and inputs and effects. Formal communication processes were most prevalent, portraying variability in professional participation and a lack of patient involvement in dialogue and decision making. Inputs and effects were described at an organisational, team and individual level, highlighting the importance of communication throughout the healthcare hierarchy. IPC in rehabilitation is central to effective team function and patient care. To further our understanding, empirical studies examining everyday informal IPC, as well as formal ritualised encounters are needed. Additionally, conceptualisations of IPC would benefit from including the patients' perspective and by using theoretical framing to attend to places, spaces, and artefacts identified in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents findings from a study on blindness discourses found in South African non-profit organisations that provide rehabilitation services to visually impaired adults. The paper investigates what the public relations materials of these organisations communicate about blindness. It also considers the ideological assumptions that blindness discourses reinforce and embed in rehabilitation practice. The primary focus is a discourse analytic review conducted on a sample of organisation public facing material. The findings comprise three clusters of assumptions, with concomitant enactments in practice. These are i) third-person alliances around the blind subject and a resulting objectification of service users ii) 'journey discourse' which prohibits the expression of complex disability experiences and iii) polarised blindness fantasies which promote othering and prescribe acceptable ways of being for blind subjects. This paper questions what might be imparted to blind persons at a symbolic level through rehabilitative practices. This article explores the ways that blindness and blind persons are represented on the websites of organisations that provide visual impairment rehabilitation services in South Africa. These representations affect the way that society views visually impaired people, and the way that visually impaired people feel about themselves. Organisation websites describe visually impaired people in ways that make it seem as though they play little active role in the rehabilitation process. The idea that rehabilitation is a journey from dependence and depression to independence and self-acceptance might make it difficult for rehabilitation service users to express ongoing feelings of grief and loss. There is a need for more focus on interdependence in rehabilitation services. Rehabilitation organisations must think carefully about what their public relations materials communicate to society about blindness and blind persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning that "career" was not a definite sign in Irish Sign Language (ISL) and that "Career Guidance" was poorly understood by the Deaf community prompted a systematic literature review (SLR). An uncomfortable truth relating to Career Guidance emerged – "Inclusion" is not where we presume it to be at. This paper presents the results of the SLR and shares how the answers from a thematic analysis can – through a Universal Design (UD), and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (Rose & Meyer, 2002) lens – guide developments for inclusive Career Guidance. This paper shares the story of "d/Deaf guidance" in the literature; the tensions between theory and practice in relation to inclusion (Quirke, 2022), and the themes identified from the SLR – themes the Deaf community believe are a Deaf gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The easements of the Care Act 2014, permitted by the Coronavirus Act 2020, were in place in very few English local authorities and then only for a short time, but they still rippled across the wider social care workforce. This paper reports findings from interviews with social workers in ten non-easement authorities and with other professionals in easement and non-easement authorities to explore their understandings of easements and their reflections on their use and impact on practice. The interview data are set in the context of a wider study that explored decision-making about the adoption of easements in local authorities. Frontline practitioners (N = 30) confirmed confusion about easements and suspicion that they were a retrograde step in people's entitlements to care and support. These views were also set in a context of lack of pandemic preparedness in social care and reflections that the care system was already fragile after a sustained period of reductions to local authority budgets and rising need. Both a robust care infrastructure was needed, as well as better crisis or disaster preparedness and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotion detection and Sentiment analysis techniques are used to understand polarity or emotions expressed by people in many cases, especially during interactive systems use. Recognizing users' emotions is an important topic for human–computer interaction. Computers that recognize emotions would provide more natural interactions. Also, emotion detection helps design human-centred systems that provide adaptable behaviour change interventions based on users' emotions. The growing capability of machine learning to analyze big data and extract emotions therein has led to a surge in research in this domain. With this increased attention, it becomes essential to investigate this research area and provide a comprehensive review of the current state. In this paper, we conduct a systematic review of 123 papers on machine learning-based emotion detection to investigate research trends along many themes, including machine learning approaches, application domain, data, evaluation, and outcome. The results demonstrate: 1) increasing interest in this domain, 2) supervised machine learning (namely, SVM and Naïve Bayes) are the most popular algorithms, 3) Text datasets in the English language are the most common data source, and 4) most research use Accuracy to evaluate performance. Based on the findings, we suggest future directions and recommendations for developing human-centred systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covid-induced lockdowns have increased the importance of technology in education. Though access to technology as well as availability of the internet remain a major concern for a lot of children in the global south, children with intellectual disabilities are disadvantaged even more as most of the e-content is developed keeping in mind the average learner. Unstructured interviews were conducted with children with intellectual disabilities studying in government schools in Haryana as well as their teachers and parents. Thematic analysis of the interviews was conducted to understand the use-patterns of mobile phones by children with intellectual disabilities. Findings suggest that these children are learning to use mobile phones on their own or with some support and are able to navigate the complexities of these smartphones quite well. They use these devices mostly for their entertainment. This paper then reflects on the need and strategies to develop these technologies in ways that they can be used as effective tools for teaching children with intellectual disabilities, especially in the inclusive education system in developing countries. The paper reflects on the need to develop technology and tools using flexible and exploratory designs to enhance the learning processes for children with intellectual disabilities from the lower income strata. This study highlights the importance of being able to use mobile phones by children with intellectual disabilities belonging to low income families. Following this, the article argues for designing of mobile phones suitable for use by children with intellectual disabilities using playfulness and explorations, and Building e-content keeping the elements of playfulness and exploration which can enhance the learnings of this group of students which is often ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As research of benefits and detriments of pesticides and biocides progresses, people's knowledge needs to be updated. This study takes an audience perspective on how practitioners may improve communication. Through online focus group discussions of how and why Danes acquire knowledge of pesticides and biocides, we find that focusing on improving people's knowledge structures, heuristics and self-efficacy may improve people's ability to acquire such knowledge and in turn improve their motivation. This paper provides suggestions for how practitioners may create more effective communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutual aid is the backbone of any social work group with its focus on the connection and growth between members for the sake of both individual attendees and the group itself. With the use of groups as a primary model of treatment and intervention in the field, the understanding of the dynamics of mutual aid is the cornerstone of quality group work education. Cohort models of education involve one set body of students who move through the curricula together with limited separation until degree completion. In a piloted assignment with an initial low residency MSW cohort, the primary author created an assignment wherein students explored their understanding of the nine dynamics of mutual aid from their perspective as a member of a cohort group. The following paper outlines their presentations and calls for the focus of social work group education using the lens of student as a cohort member experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]