scholarly journals “Normalizing” Everyday Life in the State of Emergency: Experiences, Well-Being and Coping Strategies of Emerging Adults in Serbia during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 216769682110295
Author(s):  
Teodora Vuletić ◽  
Natalija Ignjatović ◽  
Biljana Stanković ◽  
Ana Ivanov
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The State ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Future Expectations ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Health Crisis

Although emerging adults are generally more physically resilient to the severe effects of COVID-19, they might be vulnerable to the psychological stressors brought about by the crisis. Using semi-structured interviews, this qualitative research aimed to explore the experiences, well-being, coping strategies and future expectations of 15 emerging adults in Serbia during the state of emergency caused by the global pandemic. As a result of thematic analysis, six main themes emerged, focusing on: 1) disruptions in everyday life and functioning; 2) the pandemic as a health crisis; 3) public reaction to the pandemic as a source of tension and frustration; 4) crisis as an opportunity; 5) coping strategies; 6) imagining the post-pandemic future. The present study points to the resilience and resourcefulness of emerging adults in the local context and emphasizes the heterogeneity of this age group and the vulnerability sources of those who might need additional support.

scholarly journals Women’s lives in times of Zika: mosquito-controlled lives?

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Rosa Linde ◽  
Carlos Eduardo Siqueira
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
International Agencies ◽  
The Us ◽  
Women's Lives ◽  
Heavy Burden ◽  
The Impact

Zika virus infection during pregnancy is a cause of congenital brain abnormalities. Its consequences to pregnancies has made governments, national and international agencies issue advices and recommendations to women. There is a clear need to investigate how the Zika outbreak affects the decisions that women take concerning their lives and the life of their families, as well as how women are psychologically and emotionally dealing with the outbreak. We conducted a qualitative study to address the impact of the Zika epidemic on the family life of women living in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the US, who were affected by it to shed light on the social repercussions of Zika. Women were recruited through the snowball sampling technique and data was collected through semi-structured interviews. We describe the effects in mental health and the coping strategies that women use to deal with the Zika epidemic. Zika is taking a heavy toll on women’s emotional well-being. They are coping with feelings of fear, helplessness, and uncertainty by taking drastic precautions to avoid infection that affect all areas of their lives. Coping strategies pose obstacles in professional life, lead to social isolation, including from family and partner, and threaten the emotional and physical well-being of women. Our findings suggest that the impacts of the Zika epidemic on women may be universal and global. Zika infection is a silent and heavy burden on women’s shoulders.

scholarly journals Depression Survivors Among Emerging Adults: Their Healing Journey

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-65
Author(s):  
Wei Zhe Pui ◽  
Jamayah Saili
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Healing Process ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
The Self ◽  
Healing Journey

This qualitative study explored the healing process of depression survivors among emerging adults with effective coping strategies utilised by them. A semi-structured interview was conducted on participants aged between 18-28 years old. A theme narrating the experience of the depression survivors were identified: The journey of healing - Crawling out of the quicksand. The survivors emphasised that to achieve healing, everything starts from within the self, and they had been putting in a lot of their extra efforts in helping themselves heal. They all went beyond recovery, where their efforts illustrated their focus on healing, thriving, and achieving optimal well-being upon recovery. Significantly, the relevance and applicability of the building blocks of Seligman’s PERMA model of well-being towards those efforts taken were revealed in the study. .

scholarly journals The New Normal and Covid-19 in Serbia from February to May 2020.

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bojan Žikić ◽  
Mladen Stajić ◽  
Marko Pišev
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
The State ◽  
Critical Event ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
New Normal ◽  
Ordinary Life ◽  
Spread Of Infection ◽  
Cultural Reality ◽  
The Given

The situation caused by the appearance of Covid-19 can be viewed as a critical event: typologically, it is an unprecedented event, which requires and shapes new forms of historical action hitherto unknown in the given context. Critical events serve as strong value and emotional landmarks in the cultural cognition of each social environment, and form the basis for a meaningful determination towards other events. Using material collected primarily from the online versions of electronic and printed media, we consider how the reality they presented is shaped through the news through the statements of politicians and medical doctors in Serbia. We trace how the narrative transformation of socio-cultural reality took place from the time before the of Covid-19 outbreak in our country to the time immediately after the lifting of the state of emergency declared due to that infection. The premise of all that is being done to tackle the infection is not a purpose in itself, but aims to enable a return to the life we were accustomed to before the outbreak of the epidemic. Covid-19 destabilizes our everyday life – a life that consists of work or study, use of free time, socializing etc. Such everyday life is a reference point of "normalcy". Socio-cultural normalcy refers to all that is understood as a normal and undisturbed course of everyday life. The appearance of Covid-19 gave rise to the notion of the "new normal", that is, a course of everyday life that is similar to normal, ordinary life, but with adherence to measures aimed at preventing the spread of infection by the authorities. In the paper we deal with the period that begins just before the outbreak of Covid-19 in our country, and ends with the period after the lifting of the state of emergency, to show the discursively produced picture of social reality in which the concept of the "new normal" serves as a cultural cognitive tool for understanding a situation in which one has to live with Covid-19 in order to one day be able to return to the way of life that existed before it.

Social workers implementing social assistance in Spain: reshaping poverty in a familialistic welfare state

2019 ◽  
pp. 169-184
Author(s):  
Sergio Sánchez Castiñeira
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Grey Zone ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Emotional Approach

This case study analyses some of the processes that are restructuring public social assistance in the inequality regime that emerges from the recent economic recession in Spain. It shows how social workers turn what could be an inefficient public program into an active social policy through a cognitive, normative and emotional approach. A highly qualified and vocational workforce compensates meagre institutional support and lack of opportunities by instilling in the new poor new knowledge, abilities and attitudes to access basic informal resources from the local context. However, social workers’ agency could eventually contribute to confine clients within the material and symbolic limits of an expanding grey zone with scarce opportunities and diminished well-being, between inclusion and exclusion. This research is based on semi-structured interviews (17) and focus groups (8).

scholarly journals Experiences and the quality of life of the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of COVID-19 restrictive measures in Serbia

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-231
Author(s):  
Tamara Džamonja-Ignjatović ◽  
Biljana Stanković ◽  
Tamara Klikovac
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Need Satisfaction ◽  
The State ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Restrictive Measures

This paper is part of a broader qualitative study examining the experience of people during the first wave of the pandemic in Serbia when the state of emergency was proclaimed, and the effects of this situation on the quality of life and mental health of specific age groups. The paper presents the results of interviews conducted with people over 65, who were particularly affected by the introduced restrictive measures, due to which many senior citizens felt a significant decline in the quality of life, accompanied by the risk of developing various emotional problems. In order to understand better their specific experiences during the pandemic and the related measures introduced, we conducted a qualitative study taking into account the characteristics of previous life contexts, the changes in daily life and life quality during the pandemic, emotional reactions and coping strategies, as well as their expectations of the future. During April and early May 2020, sixteen people of both sexes (4 male) were interviewed, aged 65 to 87 (M = 71.19 years). The transcripts of the semi-structured interviews were processed in Maxqda qualitative analysis software and analysed by the principle of thematic analysis. The general conclusion is that the elderly from our sample adapted without major difficulties and managed to maintain a satisfactory level of their subjective well-being despite the pandemic and restrictive measures, with the help and support of their immediate social environment and in the context of the former general quality of life. This resulted in good adaptive strategies and outcomes, even in the situation of the restricted need satisfaction. However, the findings of the research indicate that, in the elderly, reactions to the pandemic are different from the reactions to the introduced measures - the tolerance of the elderly to the endangerment of personal needs is greater than the tolerance to the endangerment of personal rights and dignity. While the concern about one's own health was not explicitly expressed, the citizens older than 65 felt more affected by the introduction of the state of emergency and, especially, by the restrictive measures. The introduced measures of isolation resulted in increased negative feelings and a decline in the quality of life, as well as perceiving the threat to one's personal dignity.

scholarly journals COVID-19, mobility and self-isolation. Experiences of the Serbia’s citizens in the times of global pandemic

Sociologija ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 467-485
Author(s):  
Jelena Pesic
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
The State ◽  
Sociological Research ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Public Media ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Times ◽  
The Given

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-Cov-2 virus and closing the state borders across the world led to the mass return of the citizens of Serbia immediately before and after the declaration of the state of emergency in March 2020. The measure of placing under health supervision and the obligation of self-isolation, were the key means of mobility management in the situation of the health crisis in Serbia. How were the given measures implemented? How did they affect the citizens who returned to the country? What resources did they have at their disposal and in what way did they meet their basic needs during self-isolation? How was their experience of self-isolation shaped by public media perceptions of diaspora by representatives of the authorities and by their own social environment during the state of emergency? The aim of this paper is to answer these questions relying on the results of the online survey of 305 returnees, conducted during April and May 2020 by the researchers from the Institute for Sociological Research of the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade.

scholarly journals Preparing student paramedics for the mental health challenges of the profession by using the wisdom of the experienced

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Holmes ◽  
Natalie Ciccone ◽  
Lynne Cohen ◽  
Richard Brightwell
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Undergraduate Curriculum ◽  
Positive Mental Health ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mental Health Challenges

Given the significant mental health issues affecting our paramedics, there exists an urgent need to promote positive mental health and well-being among future cohorts of student paramedics.  This study investigated the preparedness of student paramedics for the mental health challenges of the profession and explored the coping strategies used by experienced paramedics.The study was conducted in two parts. Part A comprised of two surveys which were developed and administered to 16 course coordinators and 302 students of the 16 accredited undergraduate paramedicine courses across Australia and New Zealand. The survey aimed to identify the perceived need for preparation within the curriculum.  In addition, the anticipations, confidence and fears of student paramedics, Course Coordinators and paramedics were also collected as a means to explore the preparedness through self-evaluation, reflection and discussion.Part B included twenty semi-structured interviews with experienced paramedics, from Australia and New Zealand. The interviews were conducted to gain an understanding of their experiences and the mental health coping strategies they employed, as well as capture the advice they would give to student paramedics. Results from the interviews were validated by three focus groups comprised of six paramedics each, representative of the geographic spread.Results suggest there is widespread recognition for the need to include preparation for the mental health challenges of the profession, within accredited undergraduate paramedic courses, with 100% of course coordinators and 97% of students recognising this need.The interviews with paramedics provided valuable insights into the experiences and strategies used to aid the survival of the paramedics throughout their careers.  Within the interviews, 70% of participants expressed a sincere love for the paramedic role, and 70% identified black humour as the coping strategy most used by themselves and colleagues.  In addition, extensive advice was given to students based upon the paramedics’ lived experiences.  This advice comprised of three themes; support, health and the profession.   These findings were mapped against the aims of Australia’s current Mental Health Policy to provide evidence-based and policy-informed guidelines for the integration of positive mental health strategies into undergraduate paramedicine curricula.Preparing student paramedics for the mental health challenges of the profession could be advantageous.  One way to achieve this is through the inclusion of key content within the undergraduate curriculum by utilising the relatable data collected on anticipation, confidence, fears and the advice offered by the veteran paramedics can be integrated. These lived experiences are highly credible and an opportunity for veterans to contribute positively to the future of paramedicine.

scholarly journals What Does it Mean to be a Targeted Parent? Parents’ Experiences in the Context of Parental Alienation

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 1370-1380
Author(s):  
Ana Tavares ◽  
Carla Crespo ◽  
Maria Teresa Ribeiro
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Support Network ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Parental Alienation ◽  
Personal Impact ◽  
Parents Experiences

AbstractThe term parental alienation refers to the negative influence of one parent over a child’s perception of the other parent (targeted parent). The aim of this research was to gain further understanding of targeted parents’ experience of parental alienation from their own perspectives. For this qualitative study, a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with eight participants aged between 33 and 51 years was conducted. The data from individual semi-structured interviews enabled the identification of four main themes: perception of personal impact, coping strategies, family relationships and support network. Parents identified a serious impairment of their physical and emotional well-being and mainly identified emotion-focused coping strategies to deal with this adverse ongoing situation. Furthermore, they reported changes in key relationships, with emphasis on difficulties in family and social contexts. The contribution of the findings to research and interventions with parents and families experiencing parental alienation are discussed.

scholarly journals Stressors and coping strategies of migrant workers diagnosed with COVID-19 in Singapore: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e045949
Author(s):  
Kaisin Yee ◽  
Hui Peng Peh ◽  
Yee Pin Tan ◽  
Irene Teo ◽  
Emily U Tong Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Migrant Worker ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Access To Healthcare ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Susceptibility To Infection ◽  
Set Up ◽  
And Coping

IntroductionThe health, psychological and socioeconomic vulnerabilities of low-wage migrant workers have been magnified in the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in high-income receiving countries such as Singapore. We aimed to understand migrant worker concerns and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic to address these during the crisis and inform on comprehensive support needed after the crisis.MethodsIn-depth semi-structured interviews were carried out with migrant workers diagnosed with COVID-19. The participants were recruited from a COVID-19 mass quarantine facility in Singapore through a purposive sampling approach. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis performed to derive themes in their collective experience during the crisis.ResultsThree theme categories were derived from 27 interviews: migrant worker concerns during COVID-19, coping during COVID-19 and priorities after COVID-19. Major stressors in the crisis included the inability to continue providing for their families when work is disrupted, their susceptibility to infection in crowded dormitories, the shock of receiving the COVID-19 diagnosis while asymptomatic, as well as the isolating conditions of the quarantine environment. The workers coped by keeping in contact with their families, accessing healthcare, keeping updated with the news and continuing to practise their faith and religion. They looked forward to a return to normalcy after the crisis with keeping healthy and having access to healthcare as new priorities.ConclusionWe identified coping strategies employed by the workers in quarantine, many of which were made possible through the considered design of care and service delivery in mass quarantine facilities in Singapore. These can be adopted in the set-up of other mass quarantine facilities around the world to support the health and mental well-being of those quarantined. Our findings highlight the importance of targeted policy intervention for migrant workers, in areas such as housing and working environments, equitable access to healthcare, and social protection during and after this crisis.

scholarly journals Vital Service Captivity: Coping Strategies and Identity Negotiation

2021 ◽  
pp. 109467052110448
Author(s):  
Samuel Guillemot ◽  
Margot Dyen ◽  
Annick Tamaro
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Identity Negotiation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Living Situation ◽  
Care Services

Nursing homes are the quintessential example of vital service captivity. Consumers need vital services when they can no longer fulfil their basic needs on their own and their only choice is to delegate them to the market (e.g. care services for long-term and chronic illnesses, eating assistance at mealtimes). The service is referred to as ‘captive’ because older people are generally unwilling to use it, and when they have to, their options are limited. For elderly consumers, there is ‘no exit possible’, and as such they must integrate the service into their sense of self. The paper aims to (1) identify strategies for coping with vital service captivity and (2) present the identity negotiation mechanisms that lead people to choose one strategy over another. The study was conducted over a 6-month period in three nursing homes. Data collection includes semi-structured interviews, focus groups, participant observations, and micro-interviews with consumers – elderly residents and their families – and nursing home staff. Its main contribution is to highlight that coping with vital service captivity is a differential process. Consumers implement multiple coping strategies simultaneously, and these strategies are linked to three areas: routinization, socialization, and assimilation of a new social status. Moreover, implementing coping strategies means striking a balance between ‘disengagement’ and ‘engagement’ that not only takes into account former life trajectory, future prospects, and social comparisons, but also any changes in physical or cognitive skills and family support. Understanding these coping strategies and identity negotiation mechanisms highlights some unintended consequences on residents’ well-being, such as the importance of standardizing how the service is organized because it provides a stable framework, or the importance given to the well-being of all stakeholders (other consumers, staff) as a result of the community living situation.

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