Vulnerability and Resilience in Sensitive Research: The Case of the Quantitative Researcher

Author(s):  
Irit Bluvstein ◽  
Kfir Ifrah ◽  
Rinat Lifshitz ◽  
Noam Markovitz ◽  
Dov Shmotkin

The emotional experiences of quantitative researchers, particularly while conducting sensitive research, are largely neglected. This article aims to advance the awareness of possible emotional strains for quantitative researchers engaged in sensitive research. It qualitatively assesses the ethical and emotional experiences of quantitative researchers conducting a study on aging of bereaved parents and people with a physical disability. Based on the detailed minutes of 66 weekly research meetings held during 2015–2017, a thematic analysis of the researchers’ experiences was performed. Our analysis identified two main themes: vulnerability and resilience. We delineate these themes, along with their subthemes and affinity to vicarious traumatization, moral stress, and vicarious posttraumatic growth. The current study is among the first to introduce the emotional and ethical experiences of the quantitative researcher. Tentative recommendations for the advancement of the researcher’s safety and well-being by training, institutional support, self-care skills, and policy development are provided.

GeroPsych ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Röcke ◽  
Annette Brose

Whereas subjective well-being remains relatively stable across adulthood, emotional experiences show remarkable short-term variability, with younger and older adults differing in both amount and correlates. Repeatedly assessed affect data captures both the dynamics and stability as well as stabilization that may indicate emotion-regulatory processes. The article reviews (1) research approaches to intraindividual affect variability, (2) functional implications of affect variability, and (3) age differences in affect variability. Based on this review, we discuss how the broader literature on emotional aging can be better integrated with theories and concepts of intraindividual affect variability by using appropriate methodological approaches. Finally, we show how a better understanding of affect variability and its underlying processes could contribute to the long-term stabilization of well-being in old age.


2016 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 291-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Jacky Chan ◽  
Marta Y. Young ◽  
Noor Sharif

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Prehn ◽  
Douglas Ezzy

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander men have the worst health of any group in Australia. Despite this, relevant policies do not specifically explain how the issue will be improved. Existing research demonstrates the complexity of the problems facing Australian Indigenous men. The intersection of masculinity and Indigeneity, compounded by colonisation, historical policies, stigma, marginalisation, trauma, grief and loss of identity are key factors that shape these poor health outcomes. These outcomes are acknowledged in federal and some state government policies but not implemented. The article argues for a holistic and decolonised approach to Australian Aboriginal men’s health. Effective models of intervention to improve men’s health outcomes include men’s health clinics, men’s groups, Men’s Sheds, men’s health camps/bush adventure therapy, fathering groups and mentoring programs. Further research needs to be undertaken, with a greater emphasis on preventative health measures, adequate specific funding, culturally and gender appropriate responses to health, and government policy development and implementation covering Aboriginal male health.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 72-72
Author(s):  
Emily Ihara ◽  
Catherine Tompkins ◽  
William Kennedy ◽  
Rhea Vance-Cheng ◽  
Bianca Kwan ◽  
...  

Abstract Research indicates that family caregivers of individuals living with dementia are at risk for high levels of stress, depression, physical health declines, and illness. The health and well-being of family caregivers is critically important to a long-term care system that is dependent on them to continue their caregiving role. In-depth individual and focus group interviews of 16 dementia caregivers were conducted to explore the emotional experiences of caregiving stress during transitions of individuals living with dementia to a higher level of care. Data were transcribed verbatim, checked for accuracy, and analyzed by at least two members of the research team. Line-by-line coding, memo writing, and constant comparative analyses were conducted until redundancy, when no new themes were discovered. Caregivers described various levels of feeling overwhelmed and symptom progression leading to the move to a nursing facility. Social isolation featured prominently, with caregivers describing a gradual erosion of their social network and socializing opportunities because of their caregiving responsibilities and the care recipient’s deteriorating symptoms. Caregivers described feeling isolated and stigmatized. One caregiver said, “…you’re being less invited, you’re being less involved. People don’t know how to deal with you…I don’t know if they become the pariah or I become the pariah.” At the same time, maintaining social connections and having help with caregiving featured prominently in the coping mechanisms described. The health of caregivers is equally as important as the person living with dementia, and programs, interventions, and resources should be a priority for supporting families through transitions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-90
Author(s):  
Lilian J. Shin ◽  
Seth M. Margolis ◽  
Lisa C. Walsh ◽  
Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok ◽  
Xiaodong Yue ◽  
...  

AbstractRecent theory suggests that members of interdependent (collectivist) cultures prioritize in-group happiness, whereas members of independent (individualist) cultures prioritize personal happiness (Uchida et al. Journal of Happiness Studies, 5(3), 223–239 Uchida et al., 2004). Thus, the well-being of friends and family may contribute more to the emotional experience of individuals with collectivist rather than individualist identities. We tested this hypothesis by asking participants to recall a kind act they had done to benefit either close others (e.g., family members) or distant others (e.g., strangers). Study 1 primed collectivist and individualist cultural identities by asking bicultural undergraduates (N = 357) from Hong Kong to recall kindnesses towards close versus distant others in both English and Chinese, while Study 2 compared university students in the USA (n = 106) and Hong Kong (n = 93). In Study 1, after being primed with the Chinese language (but not after being primed with English), participants reported significantly improved affect valence after recalling kind acts towards friends and family than after recalling kind acts towards strangers. Extending this result, in Study 2, respondents from Hong Kong (but not the USA) who recalled kind acts towards friends and family showed higher positive affect than those who recalled kind acts towards strangers. These findings suggest that people with collectivist cultural identities may have relatively more positive and less negative emotional experiences when they focus on prosocial interactions with close rather than weak ties.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 197-203
Author(s):  
Yukiko Kusano ◽  
Erica Ehrhardt

Background: Equity and access to primary health care (PHC) services, particularly nursing services, are key to improving the health and well-being of all people. Nurses, as the largest group of healthcare professionals delivering services wherever people are, have a unique opportunity to put people at the centre of care, making services more effective, efficient and equitable.Objectives: To assess contributions of nurses to person and people-centered PHC. Methods: Analysis of nursing contributions under each of the four sets of the PHC reforms set by the World Health Organization.Results: Evidence and examples of nursing contributions are found in all of the four PHC reform areas. These include: expanding access;addressing problems through prevention; coordination and integration of care; and supporting the development of appropriate, effective and healthy public policies; and linking field-based innovations and policy development to inform evidence-based policy decision making.Conclusions:Nurses have significant contributions in each of the four PHC reform areas. The focus of nursing care on people-centeredness, continuity of care, comprehensiveness and integration of services, which are fundamental to holistic care, is an essential contribution of nurses to people-centered PHC. Nurses’ contributions can be optimised through positive practice environments, appropriate workforce planning and implementation andadequate education and quality control though strong regulatory principles and frameworks. People-centered approaches need to be considered both in health and non-health sectors as part of people-centered society. A strategic role of nurses as partners in services planning and decision-making is one of the key elements to achieve people-centered PHC.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. 517-518
Author(s):  
L Dong ◽  
V Freedman ◽  
C Mendes de Leon

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