Why Is She So Distressed?

2020 ◽  
pp. 275-284
Author(s):  
Daniel Waechter Webb ◽  
Megan J. Thorvilson
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Relationship ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Life Meaning ◽  
Spiritual Beliefs ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Difficult Times

Illness often raises many questions related to humanity and life meaning both for children and their families, and many lean on spirituality to sustain them in difficult times. When one’s ability to experience and integrate meaning in life becomes disrupted, patients may experience spiritual distress, which can present in physical, psychological, and social ways. The majority of pediatricians acknowledge a positive role for spirituality in healing, in strengthening the therapeutic relationship, and in providing support for patients/families, yet clinicians often feel ill-equipped to address spirituality with families. However, most parents would prefer to be open about their spiritual beliefs and practices with their medical team. In addition to the clinician, chaplains, child life specialists, social workers, and psychologists can support the evolving spiritual needs of children as they grow and develop.

scholarly journals Meaning Matters: Self-Perceived Meaning in Life, Its Predictors and Psychological Stressors Associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 50
Author(s):  
Ashley Humphrey ◽  
Olivia Vari
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Negative Life Events ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Coping Resources ◽  
Life Meaning ◽  
Life Orientation ◽  
Psychological Stressors ◽  
The Impact

Past research has found that a perceived meaning in life can act as a protective factor against adverse mental health symptomology, while also providing coping resources to buffer against the impact of negative life events. The current research investigated how the impact of self-perceived meaning in life as well as its predictors interact with stressors and worry related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected survey based data (n = 260) from Australian participants during the pandemic, measuring their meaning in life, orientation to differing life goals and COVID-19 related stressors via the impact of events scale. We found that meaning in life predicted less stress and worry associated with COVID-19. We also found that intrinsic based aspirations related positively to meaning in life within this context whereas extrinsic based goals related negatively to it, although these aspirations were not significant in reducing the stressors associated with COVID-19. These results reinforce past findings that meaning in life can effectively buffer against the impact of negative life events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. They also suggest that intrinsic based aspirations centred on relationships and self-acceptance may be an important mechanism in how people choose to pursue life meaning during uncertain life events.

scholarly journals Connecting home and hospital life : cultural influence in child life practice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer E Butterly
Keyword(s):  
Large City ◽  
Psychosocial Care ◽  
Cultural Influence ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Culturally Responsive Practices ◽  
Resource Needs ◽  
Barriers And Challenges ◽  
The Individual

The changing demographics of illness necessitate the provision of complex care practices designed to meet the individual needs of families from diverse backgrounds. Providing psychosocial care to paediatric patients, child life specialists integrate processes designed to better understand their patients, thus informing their plans of care. Through the use of Grounded Theory, this study involves 7 child life specialists from a large city in Ontario and explores the processes implemented by child life specialists in getting to know their patients and families. Data obtained from semi-structured interviews and a reflective journaling exercise was examined for evidence of cultural influence and a greater understanding of child life specialists' perceived comfort and ability was explored. The results of this study suggest child life specialists engage in culturally responsive practices, however several barriers and challenges exist. Resource needs are identified and implications for practice are examined.

scholarly journals Implementation of a Humanoid Robot as an Innovative Approach to Child Life Interventions in a Children’s Hospital: Lofty Goal or Tangible Reality?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya N. Beran ◽  
Jacqueline Reynolds Pearson ◽  
Bonnie Lashewicz
Keyword(s):  
Humanoid Robot ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
Innovative Approach ◽  
Emotional Impact ◽  
Adoption Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Lofty Goal

IntroductionThis study reports the findings on how Child life specialists (CLSs) implemented an innovative approach to providing therapeutic support to pediatric patients.MethodsPart of a larger study that uncovered themes about CLSs’ experiences while working with MEDi®, this study reports the reflections that CLSs have about the process of implementation. Seven CLSs participated in semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was conducted on interview data and three themes were generated.ResultsThe first was in regards to the adoption process whereby CLS challenges, successes, and surprises were revealed. Second, CLSs explained how using MEDi® aligned with the roles and responsibilities of their profession. The third area of understanding was in CLS explanation of the friendly emotional impact MEDi® seems to have on the hospital environment.ConclusionChild life specialists are encouraged to use the MEDi® robot to support children at the bedside.

scholarly journals Pain in Children: Assessment and Nonpharmacological Management

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasha Srouji ◽  
Savithiri Ratnapalan ◽  
Suzan Schneeweiss
Keyword(s):  
Pain Management ◽  
Pain Assessment ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Pain Perception ◽  
Child Life ◽  
Developmental Level ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Healthcare Settings ◽  
Pain Assessment Scales ◽  
Assessment Scales

Pain perception in children is complex, and is often difficult to assess. In addition, pain management in children is not always optimized in various healthcare settings, including emergency departments. A review of pain assessment scales that can be used in children across all ages, and a discussion of the importance of pain in control and distraction techniques during painful procedures are presented. Age specific nonpharmacological interventions used to manage pain in children are most effective when adapted to the developmental level of the child. Distraction techniques are often provided by nurses, parents or child life specialists and help in pain alleviation during procedures.

„Child Life Specialist“-Interventionen in der klinischen pädiatrischen Versorgung: Ein systematischer Review zu Effekten auf psychische Gesundheitsparameter von Kindern und Jugendlichen

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Hummel ◽  
Michaela Coenen ◽  
Varinka Voigt-Blaurock ◽  
Christoph Klein ◽  
Caroline Jung-Sievers
Keyword(s):  
Child Life ◽  
Child Life Specialist ◽  
Systematischer Review ◽  
Randomisierte Kontrollierte Studien ◽  
Child Life Specialists ◽  
Systematische Literatursuche ◽  
Kontrollierte Studien

Zusammenfassung Ziel der Studie Krankenhausaufenthalte können bei Kindern zu psychischen Belastungen führen, die in der Regelversorgung häufig nicht ausreichend adressiert werden. Ein neuer Ansatz ist es, spezialisierte psychosoziale Fachkräfte, sog. Child Life Specialists (CLS), in die klinische Versorgung einzubinden. CLS begleiten Kinder durch den Klinikalltag und können Belastungen durch gezielte Interventionen auffangen und das Wohlbefinden der PatientInnen fördern. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, die Effekte von CLS-Interventionen auf Angst, Schmerz und Stress von Kindern im klinischen Kontext zu analysieren. Methodik Es wurde eine systematische Literatursuche in den Datenbanken Medline, Embase und PsycINFO durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse wurden in tabellarischer und graphischer Form dargestellt. Ergebnisse Es wurden vier randomisierte kontrollierte Studien (RCTs) eingeschlossen, die die Effekte von CLS-Interventionen bei 459 Kindern im Alter von 0–15 Jahren untersuchten. Eine signifikante Verbesserung der Zielkriterien wurde jeweils in mindestens einer Studie berichtet. Bei allen Studien ist von einem mittleren bis hohen Verzerrungsrisiko auszugehen. Schlussfolgerung In den eingeschlossenen RCTs werden positive Effekte von CLS-Interventionen auf Ergebnisvariablen psychischer Gesundheit von Kindern im klinischen Setting berichtet. Aufgrund der geringen Anzahl von Studien sowie deren Heterogenität und Qualität ist weitere Forschung notwendig.

None of the Above

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel Thiessen ◽  
Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Sociology Of Religion ◽  
The United States ◽  
Spiritual Beliefs ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Political Values ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Social Divide ◽  
Large Groups ◽  
Central Claim

This book examines the nearly one-quarter of American and Canadian adults who say they have no religion. Who are they? Why, and where, has this population grown? How do religious nones in the United States and Canada compare? What are the dynamics of being a religious none in contemporary America and Canada, and how does this willful distance from organized religion impact other aspects of daily and social life? This book turns to survey and interview data to answer these questions against the backdrop of three theoretical frameworks in the sociology of religion: stages of decline, individualization and spiritualization, and polarization. The central claim is that there is a gradual religious decline happening in stages across time and generations and at different rates in various social, cultural, and regional contexts, leading to the rise of religious nones. Yet, this form of decline does not imply the disappearance of all things religious and spiritual, as a diversity of spiritual beliefs and practices along with nonbelief and secular attitudes coexist and are constantly evolving. The decline of organized religion among large segments of the American and Canadian populations also does not mean that religion is necessarily less relevant for everyday interactions and social life. If anything, that there are now large groups of religious and nonreligious individuals coexisting in both countries could mean there is a greater social divide and distance in moral and political values and behaviors along religious/nonreligious lines, as well as in interactions and attitudes between the religious and nonreligious.

Spiritual self-care in adolescents: a qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nafiseh Hekmati Pour ◽  
Gholam Reza Mahmoodi-Shan ◽  
Abbas Ebadi ◽  
Nasser Behnampour
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Religious Activities ◽  
Spiritual Beliefs ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Purposeful Sampling ◽  
Spiritual Self ◽  
Age Range

AbstractObjectivesOne of the existential questions during adolescence is about the ambiguity in spiritual realms. Adolescents at this age not only have the spiritual, psychological, and unique needs, but also have spiritual needs that help them to relax and solve problems. Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to understand the concept of spiritual self-care in Iranian adolescents in 2019.MethodsThis qualitative study with content analysis approach was conducted on 14 adolescents with the age range of 14–20 years, who had been selected by purposeful sampling method. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews which were carried out between 4 March 2019 and 20 August 2019.ResultsThe interviews were transcribed immediately after the recording, and then were analyzed using direct content analysis. A total of 252 primary codes related to the adolescents’ spiritual self-care were extracted from the analysis, which determined 4 main aspects of spiritual self-care (spiritual belief, spiritual experience, social-religious activities, and spiritual growth).ConclusionsThe findings of this study showed that, spiritual self-care is a form of self-care by which a person uses his or her spiritual beliefs, teachings, and experiences as a source of control over stress and crises, and will be able to cope with problems.

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