Connecting Through Summer Camp: Youth With Visual Impairments Find a Sense of Community

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna L. Goodwin ◽  
Lauren J. Lieberman ◽  
Keith Johnston ◽  
Jennifer Leo
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Summer Camp ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Social Meaning ◽  
Psychological Sense Of Community ◽  
The Social ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Conversational Interviews ◽  
Psychological Sense ◽  
Summer Sports Camp

The social meaning of a one-week residential summer sports camp to young people with visual impairments is described. The experiences of 13 youths (7 females and 6 males) with visual impairments (3 B1, 1 B2, and 9 B3) between 9 and 15 years of age were gathered using the phenomenological methods of focus groups, conversational interviews, and field notes. The thematic analysis revealed three themes: connected, reaching out, and resisting and acquiescing. Experiences of group membership and shared emotional connection to others with visual impairments surfaced in a supportive sport context although resistance to others’ assumptions of ability was evident. The theory of psychological sense of community (McMillan & Chivas, 1986) provided the conceptual framework for interpreting the findings.

It’s Okay to Be a Quad: Wheelchair Rugby Players’ Sense of Community

2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Goodwin ◽  
Keith Johnston ◽  
Paul Gustafson ◽  
Melanie Elliott ◽  
Robin Thurmeier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
National Level ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Psychological Sense Of Community ◽  
Wheelchair Rugby ◽  
The Social ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Psychological Sense ◽  
Rugby Players

This study explored the social experience of wheelchair rugby from the perspective of the players. Eleven national level rugby players (10 males, 1 female with a mean age of 33 years) shared their experiences through the phenomenological methods of semistructured focus group interviews and artifacts. Three themes emerged from the thematic analysis (a) it’s okay to be a quad, (b) don’t tell us we can’t, and (c) the power of wheelchair rugby. The athletes identified with a shared sense of community and the membership, fulfillment of need, influence, and shared emotional connections they used to authentically express themselves through their sport. The implications of the findings were interpreted within the theoretical context of psychological sense of community.

scholarly journals Psychological Sense of Community and the Use of Condoms and PrEP Among a Sample of Aging Black MSM

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 824-824
Author(s):  
Andre Brown ◽  
Mark Brennan-Ing ◽  
Steven Meanley ◽  
Sabina Haberlen ◽  
Deanna Ware ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Prevention ◽  
Condom Use ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Hiv Risk ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Hiv Transmission ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Sense Of Community ◽  
Hiv Risk Reduction ◽  
Psychological Sense

Abstract Psychological sense of community (PSOC) in Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) may facilitate condom and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use to prevent HIV transmission. Understanding BMSM’s PSOC contribution to HIV risk reduction may inform HIV prevention efforts for this population, that is disproportionately affected by HIV. Adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and HIV status, we conducted logistic regressions to test the association between PSOC and condom use among aging BMSM (n=176). Multivariate analyses exhibited no association between PSOC and condom use (AOR= 0.994, 95% CI= 0.942, 1.049). HIV+ participants had higher condom use odds compared to HIV- participants (AOR= 4.031, 95% CI= 1.723, 9.426). A sub-analysis of HIV- participants (n=61), showed no associated between PSOC and PrEP use (AOR= 1.002, 95% CI= 0.904, 1.112). These results have implications for secondary HIV prevention and future research on alternative aspects of social support that may increase BMSM’s HIV risk reduction behaviors.

scholarly journals A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Brief Sense of Community Scale for Spanish-Speaking Older Adults in Puerto Rico

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 108-108
Author(s):  
Tommy Buckley ◽  
Kyeongmo Kim ◽  
Denise Burnette
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Puerto Rico ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analysis ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Psychological Sense Of Community ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Psychological Sense

Abstract Psychological sense of community is a concept used to describe how individuals feel about their community. The Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS) is an 8-item scale that includes these four domains: membership, needs fulfillment, emotional connection, and influence. It has been used in various contexts and was validated with young adults in Puerto Rico. The purpose of this study was to validate the BSCS for use with Spanish-speaking older adults in Puerto Rico. We conducted face-to-face interviews with a non-probability sample of 154 community- dwelling adults aged 60+ in Puerto Rico. BSCS is comprised of a 5-point likert-type scale with score values ranging from 0 (strongly agree) to 4 (strongly disagree) (total score range 0-32, mean= 24.75, SD= 6.04), and it showed good reliability in our sample (a=.85) and acceptable subscale reliability (membership, a=.85; needs fulfillment, a=.85; influence, a=.66; and emotional connection, a=.69). Five competing factor structures were tested based on prior research using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The CFA indicated that a four factor structure from the original scale was the best fit (χ² (16) =25.9; p=.06; RMSEA=.06; CFI=.98; TLI=.97; SRMR=.04). The BSCS showed significant correlations in the expected direction with quality of life (r=.41), social isolation (r=.34), loneliness (r=.27) and self-rated health (r=.17). We conclude that the BSCS is a valid and reliable scale for measuring psychological sense of community with community-dwelling Spanish-speaking older adults in Puerto Rico. Future research should confirm and extend our findings with other Spanish-speaking older adult populations.

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