Metaphors and cultural narratives on adaptive responses to severe adversity: A field study among the Indigenous Pitaguary community in Brazil

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 332-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iara Meili ◽  
Eva Heim ◽  
Ana C Pelosi ◽  
Andreas Maercker

The expressions resilience and posttraumatic growth represent metaphorical concepts that are typically found in Euro-American contexts. Metaphors of severe adversity or trauma and the expressions of overcoming it vary across cultures—a lacuna, which has not been given much attention in the literature so far. This study aimed to explore the metaphorical concepts that the Indigenous Pitaguary community in Brazil uses to talk about adaptive and positive responses to severe adversity and to relate them to their socio-cultural context. We carried out 14 semi-structured interviews during field research over a one-month period of fieldwork. The data were explored with systematic metaphor analysis. The core metaphors included images of battle, unity, spirituality, journeys, balance, time, sight, transformation, and development. These metaphors were related to context-specific cultural narratives that underlie the Pitaguary ontological perspective on collectivity, nature, and cosmology. The results suggest that metaphors and cultural narratives can reveal important aspects of a culture’s collective mindset. To have a contextualized understanding of expressive nuances is an essential asset to adapt interventions to specific cultures and promote culture-specific healing and recovery processes.

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serena Chen

The core premise of this article is that it is scientifically informative and psychologically meaningful to conceptualize and assess authenticity in context. I begin by providing some theoretical background on the nature of the self-concept, highlighting how the self-concept is composed of a collection of selves, with different selves activated and therefore at play in different contexts. This basic fact, that the self-concept is both multifaceted and malleable, implies that authenticity is a construct that requires study at a contextual level. I illustrate this by reviewing theory and findings from 3 areas of research, incorporating studies from my laboratory throughout. These areas are (a) authenticity in the context of close relationships; (b) authenticity in hierarchical contexts, wherein one occupies a lower versus higher position of social power; and (c) authenticity in relation to the larger cultural context. Finally, I address a number of issues and questions that arise when considering authenticity in context and propose a number of directions for future research on the context-specific nature of authenticity.


Author(s):  
Christine De Goede ◽  
Abraham P Greeff

The aim of this qualitative study was to explore what assists couples in sustaining family routines after the transition to parenthood. Participants were recruited from two day-care centres in Cape Town, South Africa. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 couples, mostly from low-income households, who had gone through this transition between one and four years previously. Grounded theory analysis revealed one major theme, Factors that decrease task and temporal complexity, with seven subthemes: Support from the wider family network; Couple cooperation and tag-teaming; Planning and pre-empting future problems; Adhering to schedules; Facilitative characteristics and skills of individual family members; Parents’ sense of commitment and responsibility towards family members; and idiosyncratic accommodations. Results underscore the need for professionals to help parents gain support from relatives; strengthen partner teamwork; foster schedule consistency; improve skills such as planning; foster their caretaker self-concepts; and facilitate context-specific problem-solving.


Author(s):  
Amanda Cabral ◽  
Carolin Lusby ◽  
Ricardo Uvinha

Sports Tourism as a segment is growing exponentially in Brazil. The sports mega-events that occurred in the period from 2007 to 2016 helped strengthen this sector significantly. This article examined tourism mobility during the Summer Olympic Games Rio 2016, hosted by the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This study expands the understanding of the relationship between tourism and city infrastructure, therefore being relevant to academics, professionals of the area and to the whole society due to its multidisciplinary field. The existence of a relationship between means of transportation and the Olympic regions as well as tourist attractions for a possible legacy was observed. Data were collected from official sources, field research and through participant-observation and semi structured interviews. Data were coded and analyzed. The results indicate that the city was overall successful in its execution of sufficient mobility. New means of transportation were added and others updated. BRT's (Bus Rapid Transit) were the main use of mass transport to Olympic sites. However, a lack of public transport access was observed for the touristic sites.


1970 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-58
Author(s):  
Fellipe Afonso de Azevedo ◽  
Noé D’jalma Araújo ◽  
Néliton Célio de Novais ◽  
José Vítor da Silva ◽  
Renato Augusto Passos

RESUMOObjetivo: o presente trabalho teve como objetivo identificar os significados de morte emergentes das equipes de enfermagem que atuam nas unidades de Pronto Socorro e Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI) em uma entidade de médio porte situada no Sul de Minas Gerais. Materiais e métodos: estudo de abordagem qualitativa, do tipo descritivo, de campo e transversal. A amostra estudada foi composta de oito enfermeiros, 22 técnicos e quatro auxiliares de enfermagem, totalizando 34 profissionais, sendo utilizado o instrumento de caracterização pessoal e profissional da equipe de enfermagem e o roteiro de entrevista semiestruturada. A amostragem foi proposital. A coleta de dados foi realizada através de entrevista semiestruturada, gravada e transcrita. As diretrizes metodológicas do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo foram utilizadas para a seleção das ideias centrais e expressões-chave correspondentes, a partir das quais foram extraídos os discursos dos sujeitos, no cenário da instituição hospitalar. Resultados e Discussão: ao analisar o tema “significados de morte”, obtiveram-se as seguintes ideias centrais: “passagem”, “diversos significados”, “fim da vida” e “fim e começo de outra vida”. Conclusão: As concepções acerca do tema morte para os profissionais participantes deste trabalho reforça a necessidade de estudos sobre o tema durante a formação acadêmica. Certos de que irão vivenciar este tipo de situação no dia-a-dia profissional, é preciso prepará-los psicologicamente para isso.Palavras-chave: Morte, Equipe de enfermagem, Assistência ao paciente.ABSTRACTObjective: This study aimed to identify the meanings of emerging death of the nursing staff working in the Emergency Units and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in a medium-sized entity located in southern Minas Gerais. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional qualitative field research. The sample was composed of 8 nurses, 22 technicians and 4 nursing assistants, totaling 34 professionals. It was used a tool of personal and professional characterization of the nursing team and a semi-structured interview. Sampling was intentional. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews, that were recorded and transcribed. The methodological guidelines of the Collective Subject Speech were used for the selection of the central ideas and corresponding key expressions, from which the speeches of the subjects were taken, in the hospital setting. Results and discussion: to examine the topic "death meanings" yielded the following core ideas: "pass", "different meanings", "end of life" and "end and beginning of another life." Conclusion: The conceptions about the death theme for the professional participants of this study reinforces the need for studies on the subject during their academic training. It is certain that they will experience this type of situation on their daily professional routine, therefore there is a need to prepare them psychologically for this.Keywords: Death, Nursing staff, Patient care.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402199118
Author(s):  
Marziyeh Khoshgoftar ◽  
Anahita Khodabakhshi-Koolaee ◽  
Mohammad Reza Sheikhi

Background and Aim: The mother as the first caregiver plays a significant role in the formation of the child’s behavior, growth, and communication. The present study aimed to analyze the early mother-child relationship in schizophrenic patients. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study employed a descriptive phenomenological approach. The participants were male patients with schizophrenia who were hospitalized in Qazvin Bahman Psychiatric Hospital from March to September 2020 with an age range of over 18 years. Given the objective of the study, the data were collected using semi-structured interviews. The participants were selected using purposive sampling and the sampling procedure continued until data saturation as the point when no new information is observed in the data. Accordingly, the data were saturated after interviewing 15 participants. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method. Results: The analysis of the data revealed four main themes including ambivalent attachment to the mother, feelings of constant fear and worry, a sense of constant care for the mother, and a cold and emotionless relationship with the child. Conclusion: The present study suggested that schizophrenia is a disorder that affects the mother-child relationship, and does the term “schizophrenic mothers” need to be reconsidered? However, the result of this research has been done according to the nature and cultural context of Iranian society.


2021 ◽  
pp. 104345422199230
Author(s):  
Nicole B. Beckmann ◽  
Mary S. Dietrich ◽  
Mary C. Hooke ◽  
Mary J. Gilmer ◽  
Terrah F. Akard

Background: Parents of children recovering from hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) experience significant distress due to unpredictable and potentially life-threatening complications. Distress is heightened by intensive caregiving parents provide the child during the first 100 days after HSCT. Management of distress and adaptation to caregiving responsibilities may be enhanced if parents find benefit in their experiences through posttraumatic growth (PTG), yet little is known about how parents’ experiences after HSCT foster PTG. This study aimed to explore how parents experience caregiving and PTG 100 days after children’s HSCT. Methods: Thirty-one parents completed semi-structured interviews ∼100 days after children received HSCT. Results: Four major themes emerged from the data to describe parent experiences after HSCT: (1) psychosocial and healthcare contextual factors; (2) cognitive, affective, and social support reactions to HSCT; (3) problem-based, emotion-based, and cognitive coping strategies; and (4) PTG. Discussion: Results increase the understanding of how parents’ experiences and caregiving responsibilities contribute to PTG. These findings may guide future research to understand how these experiences influence PTG. Nurses are integral to the parents’ experiences. Future work should focus on nursing interventions that enhance positive reinterpretation of parents’ experiences after their children’s HSCT.


2021 ◽  
pp. 147490412110212
Author(s):  
Rita Koris ◽  
Francisco Javier Mato-Díaz ◽  
Núria Hernández-Nanclares

This study explores international students’ perceptions of the transition to the online learning environment while they were studying on an Erasmus+ Study Mobility Programme at host universities in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020. Applying the theoretical framework based on the affective, behavioural and cognitive aspects of adaptation in the case of international students, this study reveals what adaptive responses and decisions sojourners made, and how their study experience and learning capabilities were challenged by the restrictive measures introduced at host universities due to the state of emergency declared in the host countries. Fourteen semi-structured interviews with both incoming and outgoing international students were conducted. Results reveal that studying online with reduced social interaction was a real challenge to Erasmus students. They were lacking cultural knowledge of the destination country as well as the insights typically arising from face-to-face teaching and social interactions. However, findings also expose students’ satisfaction with their academic accomplishments. In this regard, specific proposals are made for universities that consider virtual mobility programmes for international students in the future.


2020 ◽  
pp. 001789692098162
Author(s):  
Muhammad Naeem ◽  
Hamad Ghalib Dailah

Background: This study explored the role of hospitals, specialised doctors and staff in developing patient awareness, participation and motivation concerning asthma control. It also looked at the challenges that undermine the value of asthma educational programmes, especially in an Arab cultural context. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 30 asthma patients who had been living with asthma for a long period of time. Results: Findings highlight how an asthma educational programme can increase patient knowledge about the causes of asthma. Following the programme, patients had a better understanding of levels of medication, breathing techniques and rest and relaxation. Awareness of support from health professionals for managing depression and frustration also increased. However, some patients felt that the asthma educational programme content and delivery was not very interactive and was too lengthy. Conclusion: Findings can help policy makers, researchers, hospitals, doctors and the national Ministry of Health improve the content of future asthma educational programmes. They can also inform the development of a research framework to extend understanding of relevant issues in an Arabian context.


1997 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-259
Author(s):  
Ned Kock ◽  
Robert Mcqueen

Process improvement (PI) groups have been among the main change instruments of widely adopted and publicized organizational development approaches such as total quality management and business process re-engineering. Asynchronous groupware tools, such as electronic messaging systems, have found widespread use in organizations yet very little field research exists on how PI groups are affected by such tools. We try to fill this gap with a field study of the effects of asynchronous groupware support on seven PI groups in two New Zealand organizations. Our study indicates that, while not having perceived negative effects on group effectiveness, asynchronous groupware support was perceived as increasing process adoption, hierarchy suppression, departmental heterogeneity and contribution length and decreasing discussion duration, cost and interaction in PI groups. We argue that, based on these findings, the use of asynchronous groupware tools is likely to be beneficial in PI projects, particularly where a large number of PI groups proposing incremental process changes is conducted.


2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 280-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen T Crumley

Background Internationally, physicians are integrating medical acupuncture into their practice. Although there are some informative surveys and reviews, there are few international, exploratory studies detailing how physicians have accommodated medical acupuncture (eg, by modifying schedules, space and processes). Objective To examine how physicians integrate medical acupuncture into their practice. Methods Semi-structured interviews and participant observations of physicians practising medical acupuncture were conducted using convenience and snowball sampling. Data were analysed in NVivo and themes were developed. Despite variation, three principal models were developed to summarise the different ways that physicians integrated medical acupuncture into their practice, using the core concept of ‘helping’. Quotes were used to illustrate each model and its corresponding themes. Results There were 25 participants from 11 countries: 21 agreed to be interviewed and four engaged in participant observations. Seventy-two per cent were general practitioners. The three models were: (1) appointments (44%); (2) clinics (44%); and (3) full-time practice (24%). Some physicians held both appointments and regular clinics (models 1 and 2). Most full-time physicians initially tried appointments and/or clinics. Some physicians charged to offset administration costs or compensate for their time. Discussion Despite variation within each category, the three models encapsulated how physicians described their integration of medical acupuncture. Physicians varied in how often they administered medical acupuncture and the amount of time they spent with patients. Although 24% of physicians surveyed administered medical acupuncture full-time, most practised it part-time. Each individual physician incorporated medical acupuncture in the way that worked best for their practice.


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