How does a sense of belonging develop in postsecondary? A conceptual Belonging in Academia Model (BAM) from sighted perspectives

2019 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-103
Author(s):  
Minnie Y. Teng ◽  
Mary-Lou Brown ◽  
Tal Jarus ◽  
Laura Yvonne Bulk

Belonging is associated with increased engagement in academic pursuits and well-being. However, there is a lack of research on how a sense of belonging develops in academia. The academic environment comprises largely of sighted individuals. Exploring sighted students, staff, and educators’ perceptions of belonging contributes to our understanding of environments that foster belonging for sighted individuals and their perceptions of the same for people who are blind. We conducted focus groups and in-depth interviews with 25 sighted people in academia to investigate how sense of belonging develops for them, and what facilitators and barriers would impact belonging in academia. Grounded theory was used to construct the Belonging in Academia Model (BAM), which explores how people perceive, create, and develop belonging in academia.

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deniz Aşkın

Abstract   This study aims to analyze the process of changing spatial belongings of migrants’ generations. The First generation who moved out from Eastern and Southeastern of Turkey haven’t cut their communication with their hometown. On the contrary, they have built new belonging relations with the host culture. This is the exact opposite of the second generation. The second generation, who are children of the first generation, have built sense of belonging to İnegöl where they live. Also the second generation have prevented their parents from returning to their hometown. It shows that children and their parents have been living in the different worlds although they live in the same homes. This study has been conducted on migrants living in Huzur Neighborhood, İnegöl, Bursa. Empirically, I conducted in depth interviews and focus groups discussions with 30 migrants to capture the changing spatial belongings of the two generations of migrants. Keywords: Construction of Identity, Kurdish Migrants, Intergenerational relations, Turkey.


Sociology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 987-1004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tine Buffel ◽  
Chris Phillipson

Debates about gentrification continue to occupy a significant part of research investigating social change within urban communities. While most gentrification studies have focused on ‘incoming’ groups or those forced to leave, there is limited knowledge about those remaining in neighbourhoods undergoing community change. This study explores the experiences of older residents who have lived much of their adult lives in the same locality but whose views have been largely ignored in gentrification research. The article presents findings from seven focus groups ( N = 58 participants) and 30 in-depth interviews with people aged 60 and over living in Chorlton, a gentrifying neighbourhood in Manchester, UK. These highlight both daily challenges and exclusionary pressures, as well as how people are active in creating a sense of belonging in a neighbourhood undergoing social change. The article concludes by discussing the need for interventions which promote the ‘age-friendliness’ of communities and ensure that older people have a space to be seen and heard in their neighbourhood.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 11119
Author(s):  
Magdalena Budziszewska ◽  
Zuzanna Głód

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues we face, and the Fridays for Future wave of protests is unique both in its youth character and global reach. However, still not enough is known about how young activists experience their involvement and how the experience of climate activism connects to their personal development and psychological well-being. To gain an enhanced understanding of this issue, we conducted a qualitative study based on eight in-depth interviews with individuals deeply involved in the Youth Climate Strike in Poland. We analyzed the interviews using a rigorous multi-stage thematic analysis. Results showed that the empowering aspects of activism were associated with a heightened sense of agency, a sense of belonging to a community, a sense of duty and ethical integrity, of finding one's voice and learning new skills, and a sense of personal growth. Activists also indicated aggravating aspects of involvement, such as involving the struggle for balance between activism and other spheres of life, overwork, and conflicts within a peer group. In conclusion, in contrast to the pressing nature of the climate change conundrum, climate activism is often experienced by its young participants as a mostly empowering experience.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 29-47
Author(s):  
Tamires Martins Bastos ◽  
Carolina Stopinski Padoan ◽  
Vanina Lima Monteiro ◽  
Márcia Mocellin Raymundo ◽  
Cristina Plentz Pessi ◽  
...  

Background: Medical students are a population at higher risk for psychological distress and mental health disorders when compared to the general population. Evidence-based interventions to promote well-being are available, but the rates of anxiety, burnout, depression, and suicide are not decreasing as expected. This scenario can lead to poor academic outcomes and lower assistance capability. Students are frequently targeted in interventions, but the academic environment itself is seldomly a target. Qualitative research is an insightful approach in deriving a deeper understanding of phenomena that are suitable to culture-sensitive interventions. Objective: To explore student’s perception of medical school and their understanding of which factors underly the path from well-being to impaired mental health. Methods: A qualitative exploratory study was performed. Focus groups and in-depth interviews were conducted, comprising students from all medical school years. Grounded theory was used to analyze data, and Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research were followed. Feedback from participants and through external supervision were conducted in ensuring saturation, reliability, and coherence. Results: Five main categories were identified: socioeconomic aspects, university environment (including culture, institutional functioning, and relationships), training issues, career demands, and mental health. Both personal and environmental factors were highlighted as contributors and stressors. Conclusion: A medical career appears to be related to a culture of omnipotence where excellence is frequently misconstrued as perfection. The complex relations between personal and environmental factors demand comprehensive strategies. Institutional rules could be adapted to avoid enhancing excessive competition. In some cases, individual assistance is needed. Inclusion of the academic community’s perspective and targeting the negative aspects of the medical culture seem essential to move forward in the field of mental health and person-centered learning.


Author(s):  
Derek Stewart ◽  
Abdulrouf Pallivalapila ◽  
Binny Thomas ◽  
Yolande Hanssens ◽  
Wessam El Kassem ◽  
...  

AbstractBackground Studies have highlighted advancing clinical pharmacy practice in Qatar. Objective To explore pharmacists’ aspirations and readiness to implement pharmacist prescribing. Setting Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the main provider of secondary and tertiary care. Method A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. Questionnaire items were derived from the Consolidated Framework of Implementation Research (CFIR), in domains of: awareness/support; readiness; implementation; and facilitators and barriers. Following piloting, all pharmacists (n = 554) were invited to participate. Questionnaire data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics with principal component analysis of attitudinal items. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed and analysed using the Framework Approach. Main outcome measure Aspirations and readiness to implement pharmacist prescribing. Results The response rate was 62.8% (n = 348), with respondents highly supportive of implementation in Qatar (median 4, scale 0–5, extremely supportive). The majority (64.9%, n = 226) considered themselves ready, particularly those more senior (p < 0.05) and classifying themselves innovative (p < 0.01). Outpatient (72.9%, n = 221 agreeing) and inpatient (71.1%, n = 218 agreeing) HMC settings were those perceived as being most ready. PCA identified 2 components, with ‘personal attributes’ being more positive than ‘prescribing support’. Facilitators were access to records, organizational/management support and the practice environment, with physician resistance and scope of practice as barriers. Focus groups provided explanation, with themes in CFIR domains of innovation characteristics, characteristics of individuals and the inner setting. Conclusion HMC pharmacists largely aspire, and consider themselves ready, to be prescribers with inpatient and outpatient settings most ready. CFIR domains and constructs identified as facilitators and barriers should be focus for implementation.


Author(s):  
Melike Şahinol ◽  
Gülşah Başkavak

AbstractThe conventional treatment of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is especially demanding for children, both physically and psychologically (Iversen et al. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being,13(1), 1487758, 2018). Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems (CGM) are an important aid for children and their families in dealing with the disease. In their work, however, Şahinol and Başkavak (2020) point out that CGM carry the risk of viewing T1D as a technologically solvable problem instead of considering the disease as a whole. This is mainly creating confidence in technology due to CGM experiences while neglecting significant dietary measures and exercises needed to be integrated into daily routines. During the current pandemic, this problem seems to take on a whole new level. Based on two periods of in-depth interviews and observations conducted with 8 families with T1D children aged 6 to 14 living in Istanbul and Ankara (Turkey) from May to November 2019 and again from May to June 2020, we compare and focus on the experiences prior to and during the pandemic time. We argue that despite the possibility of technological regulation of the disease, the vulnerability of children is increased and, more than ever, depends on socio-bio-technical entanglements.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402198973
Author(s):  
Kathleen Ford ◽  
Aree Jampaklay ◽  
Aphichat Chamatrithirong

Aim: The objective of this paper is to examine the level of psychiatric symptoms and associated factors among Thai migrants from the southernmost Thai provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narithiwat who are working in Malaysia. Comparisons will be made with the sending population in the southernmost provinces of Thailand. Methods: Data are drawn from survey and in-depth interviews with Thai migrants who are working in Malaysia. Comparisons are made with a probability sample of working age adults in Thailand. The twenty item Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ) was the measure of mental health. Results: The study found that the migrants, on average, have normal levels of psychiatric symptoms. However, although about 24% of migrants reported more eight or more symptoms that may indicate a need for evaluation. There are many stressors in their lives including distance from families, reduced social support, legal matters surrounding immigration, and discrimination/exploitation of migrant groups. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for policy makers and non-governmental organizations to give attention to migrants’ mental health, well-being and sustainable livelihoods.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 169-170
Author(s):  
Brittany Drazich ◽  
Breanna Crane ◽  
Kyle Moored ◽  
Karl Shieh ◽  
Janiece Taylor ◽  
...  

Abstract Due to generational mental illness stigma and under diagnosis of mental illness, older adults do not always receive the mental health help that they need. One unique technology that has the potential to improve mood in older adults is exergames, or exercise video games. The objective of this sub-study (main study: Stimulation With Intricate Movements “SWIM” Study) was to explore older adults’ mood following an exergame intervention called “Bandit the Dolphin,” created by the Johns Hopkins KATA Studio. Researchers conducted three focus groups with 14 community-dwelling older adult participants who took part in the SWIM Study exergame intervention. The semi-structured focus groups were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using deductive and inductive techniques described by Ray Maietta’s “sort and sift, think and shift” method. Three themes related to playing “Bandit the Dolphin” and mood emerged. First, participants described their perceived association between activity and mood. Participants felt that both active and passive activities, “Bandit the Dolphin” and otherwise, improved their mood through the “fun” factor, and through feelings of achievement. Second, the participants described that the competition and frustration of playing “Bandit the Dolphin” increased eventual feelings of achievement. Third, participants described how feelings of immersion, or being absorbed in the game, helped them forget their other life concerns. These findings provide a better understanding of older adults’ perceived relationship between an exergame intervention, “Bandit the Dolphin,” and short-term improved mood. Future health and engineering researchers should explore exergames as a potential tool to improve the mental health of older adults.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1326365X2110037
Author(s):  
D. Guna Graciyal ◽  
Deepa Viswam

Virtual engagement of lives has been made possible with the advent of social media. Almost 80% of the day are spent virtually on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, etc. Usage of social media to connect to and communicate with the ones we care about is always healthy, termed as social networking. Social dysfunction occurs when the constant communication leads to the point where our real or offline life gets replaced by virtual or online life. There is a slight boundary between social networking and social dysfunction. When social networking is advantageous, social dysfunction affects emotional well-being. When emotional well-being is affected, many users experience a compulsion to dissociate from the real world as they find virtual world, full of fantasy and enjoyment. When the Internet was created, perhaps no one was aware of its potential. More than the convenience for sharing of information it has brought the world so close to crumbling the geographical boundaries. The more people-to-people communication is, the more is the strengthening of relationships, bonds grow stronger with ‘more’ social media platforms. Being on ‘more’ social media platforms has become a benchmark for living amidst the younger generation. Either as an activity of happiness or as an activity of pleasure, users tend to use social media at varying levels. This paper aims to conceptualize the the intricacies of social media in young lives and to discern whether their association is happiness or pleasure activity. The research method of this paper has a mixed-methods research design combining data from structured survey with information outputs from in-depth interviews.


2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 983-998
Author(s):  
L’Emira Lama El Ayoubi ◽  
Sawsan Abdulrahim ◽  
Maia Sieverding

Providing adolescent girls with sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information protects them from risks and improves their well-being. This qualitative study, conducted in Lebanon, examined Syrian refugee adolescent girls’ access to SRH information about and experiences with puberty and menarche, sex, marriage, contraception, and pregnancy. We gathered data through three focus group discussions (FGDs) with unmarried adolescent girls, 11 in-depth interviews with early-married adolescents, and two FGDs with mothers. Our findings highlighted that adolescent participants received inadequate SRH information shortly before or at the time of menarche and sexual initiation, resulting in experiences characterized by anxiety and fear. They also revealed discordance between girls’ views of mothers as a preferred source of information and mothers’ reluctance to communicate with their daughters about SRH. We advance that mothers are important entry points for future interventions in this refugee population and offer recommendations aimed to improve adolescent girls’ SRH and rights.


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