The ukulele experiences: Leisure and positive ageing in Taiwan

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Lee ◽  
Jane Southcott
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Community Music ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Regional Community ◽  
Song Preferences ◽  
Positive Ageing ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Music Effects

In Shuilin Township, Yunlin County, Taiwan a group of older people have a small, well-established, active musical club called ‘Can’t Read the Words’ where they learn and play the ukulele together. This research explored the impact of their ukulele playing experiences and paid special attention to song preferences (songs they have chosen to play or sing). Data collection involved 11 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with individual healthy adults. All participants drew from their experiences in regional community music organizations to explore how music effects their daily lives. Thematic analysis of the data unveiled valuable insights. The study concluded that participants believed that their musical club provided opportunities for individuals to practice and perform before audiences, resulting in a sense of achievement and satisfaction. The aged community should view the ‘Can’t Read the Words’ musical club as an example of the positive effects playing the ukulele can have on their lives.

scholarly journals #ForYou: The User’s Perspective on How TikTok Recommends Videos

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Scalvini
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Recommendation System ◽  
Safe Space ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Private Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Social Causes ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Ethical Responsibilities

<p>The current study is aimed at understanding the impact of TikTok’s recommendation system. The algorithm is perceived as very efficient in targeting users but raises several ethical concerns regarding the ability to manipulate users’ experience and the extent to which private data and preferences are respected. Utilizing the data collected from 40 in-depth interviews, this study explores: How do users perceive TikTok’s ethical responsibilities in regard to their algorithmic recommendation system? Furthermore, the analysis discusses and evaluates the tension between a) how the platform’s algorithm feeds users similar videos that they highly appreciate; and, inversely, b) how the diversification of recommendations is limited. A thematic analysis shows interviewees describe TikTok as a safe space where users can be themselves and feel included in a community of people interested in posting content to connect and engage meaningfully beyond difference. However, the algorithm is perceived as harmful because it tries to manipulate and drive users towards specific videos that increase their ‘addiction’ to the platform. Interviewees consider some of the recommendations on the ForYou page to be questionable because they aimed at persuading or nudging in favor of particular hashtags and social causes. This contradiction may partly be explained by the fact that interviewees report their rationalizations in a performative manner in order to avoid feelings of dissonance while attempting to relate to their own self-identity. This observation leads to the idea that the concept of mediated diversity can explain the tension between the expectation of similarity and diversity. </p>

“I’m Grateful, but Am I?”: The Exploration of Gratitude as a Complex Experience Among Malaysian Cancer Patients

2021 ◽  
pp. 105413732110541
Author(s):  
Nur Atikah Mohamed Hussin ◽  
Taufik Mohammad ◽  
Shariffah Suraya Syed Jamaludin
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Sociocultural Perspective ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Cultural Expectations ◽  
Complex Dimensions

Gratitude has gained attention among health researchers for its benefits among chronic illness. However, most of the studies were focusing on the positive effects, neglecting the complex dimensions of gratitude that can contribute to both opportunities and challenges for chronic illness patients. This study aims to understand gratitude among cancer patients in Malaysia from a sociocultural perspective. This includes understanding how cancer patients view gratitude and the impacts of gratitude throughout their cancer-battling journey. This qualitative study involved 35 cancer patients. A thematic analysis was done to analyze the collected data. Among the themes discovered were searching for meaning, meaningful experience, gratitude through the enrichment activities, and gratitude as religious cultural expectations. This study suggests that gratitude is an important experience for chronic illness patients. The ability to understand this experience is vital to support and empower the patients throughout their daily lives.

scholarly journals Caregiver perspectives on the impact of uncertainty on the everyday lives of autistic children and their families

Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132110337
Author(s):  
Jane Goodwin ◽  
Priyanka Rob ◽  
Mark Freeston ◽  
Deborah Garland ◽  
Victoria Grahame ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety Reduction ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
The Impact

Approximately 50% of autistic children experience high anxiety. Intolerance of uncertainty (tendency to react negatively to uncertain situations) is a key mechanism in the development and maintenance of anxiety. This study aimed to provide a descriptive, thematic analysis of the impact on uncertainty on the daily lives of autistic children and their families. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents and caregivers of 53 autistic children (including 3 dyads) aged 6–16 years to elicit examples of uncertain situations that the children found challenging and to explore the impact of these situations on family life. Thematic analysis revealed five overarching themes: child’s reactions to uncertainty, trying to reduce uncertainty, the impact of difficulties with uncertainty, the impact of uncertainty on parenting and the impact on parents. These findings provide a crucial understanding into the range of uncertain situations autistic children with anxiety experience. Anxiety-reduction approaches based on increasing tolerance to everyday uncertain situations could help improve well-being, quality of life and participation for autistic children and their families. Lay abstract Anxiety is common in autistic children. Research shows that this may be related to intolerance of uncertainty, which is a tendency to react negatively to uncertain situations. Understanding when, why and how autistic children respond to uncertainty is important in the development of anxiety programmes. We asked 53 (including 3 dyads) parents of autistic children about the types of uncertain situations that cause difficulties for their child and how uncertainty impacts on daily life for them and their families. We found that uncertain situations made autistic children and their families feel sad, worried, frustrated and angry through the themes: child’s reactions to uncertainty, trying to reduce uncertainty, the impact of difficulties with uncertainty, the impact of uncertainty on parenting and the impact on parents. There are lots of situations that are anxiety provoking for autistic children because of uncertainty, such as school. Programmes to reduce anxiety and increase autistic children’s ability to cope with everyday uncertain situations could improve quality of life for autistic children and their families.

scholarly journals Positive Effects of Workplace Meditation Training and Practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Leila Karimi ◽  
Stephen P Kent ◽  
Sandra G. Leggat ◽  
Jiri Rada ◽  
Alison Angleton
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Impact

There is evidence that meditation is a powerful organisational tool for enhancing employee effectiveness, wellbeing, and job satisfaction; however, experimental studies on the effects of meditation on other organisational factors such as presenteeism and emotional intelligence are limited. This study investigated the impact of meditation on mindfulness, emotional intelligence, job satisfaction, and job stress-related presenteeism in an Australian workplace. Participants learned and practised an &#39;Auto Transcending Meditation Technique&rsquo; (ATMT) at their workplace. The study used the switching replications experimental design, comparing an intervention group with a control group. Quantitative data analysis used descriptive statistics and repeated measures to compare the mean pre-post intervention differences. Thematic analysis was completed on qualitative data gathered in focus groups and from the training evaluation. As a consequence of ATMT, participants showed significant improvements in their levels of mindfulness and emotional intelligence. Thematic analysis indicated that participants felt the meditation training and practice led to positive personal changes. In addition, the results showed that higher mindfulness buffers the effect of stress-related presenteeism on participants&rsquo; mental and physical health. Our results demonstrate that meditation training and practice enhances mindfulness and emotional intelligence, with benefits for employees&rsquo; physical and mental health.&nbsp; Workplace meditation should be considered in health promoting work settings. &nbsp;

Life in a news desert: The perceived impact of a newspaper closure on community members

Journalism ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 146488492095788
Author(s):  
Nick Mathews
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Qualitative Investigation ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Everyday Lives ◽  
Perceived Impact ◽  
Caroline County ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

This study, utilizing 19 in-depth interviews, offers a systematic qualitative investigation of the perceived impact of a newspaper’s closure on community members’ everyday lives and their sense of community. Results demonstrate a negative impact on community members’ sense of community, with participants missing celebrated gatherings and noting increased isolation and diminished pride in their community. Findings also show the impact on residents’ daily lives, with one participant declaring ‘life is harder’ without the newspaper. Overall, these findings present a picture of life in Caroline County, Virginia, following the Caroline Progress’ closure after 99 years of service to the county.

scholarly journals The perceived benefits of an arts project for health and wellbeing of older offenders

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dean J. Wilkinson ◽  
Laura S. Caulfield
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Prison Population ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Music Making ◽  
Older Offenders ◽  
Depth Interviews

The increasing ageing prison population is becoming a pressing issue throughout the criminal justice system. Alongside the rising population, are a host of health and wellbeing issues that contribute to older offenders needs whilst in prison. It has been recommended that meaningful activities can have positive effects on this population and therefore this paper uniquely reviews older offenders accounts of taking part in an arts based project, Good Vibrations, whilst imprisoned. The Good Vibrations project engages individuals in Gamelan music making with an end of project performance. This study used independent in-depth interviews to capture the voices of older offenders who took part in an art based prison project. The interview data was analysed using thematic analysis, which highlighted themes that were consistent with other populations who have taken part in a Good Vibrations project, along with specific age relating issues of mobility, motivation, identity and wellbeing.

scholarly journals Economic Crisis and Professions: Chartered Accountants in Zimbabwe

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824402199480
Author(s):  
Farai Maunganidze ◽  
Debby Bonnin ◽  
Shaun Ruggunan
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Professional Standards ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Professional Body ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Chartered Accountants ◽  
Depth Interviews

This study examined the effects of a declining economy on the profession of chartered accountants (CAs) in Zimbabwe. The study adopted a qualitative approach using a pragmatic grounded theory design. Primary data were obtained through in-depth interviews with five purposively sampled CAs and two key informants drawn from the professional body and an institution that trains CAs. Furthermore, secondary data were drawn from the professional body’s archives and from newspapers. Data from interviews and documents were analyzed through thematic analysis and content analysis, respectively. The study has revealed that the profession of CAs has been changing in response to the declining economy and the changes include losing its status and autonomy, increased competition from other accounting fields and compromised professional standards. It also emerged that professionals themselves engage in both negative and positive activities that enable them to survive the effects of a declining economy. Recommendations are provided for the professionals and the professional body in dealing with the impact of a precarious economy.

scholarly journals #ForYou: The User’s Perspective on How TikTok Recommends Videos

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Scalvini
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Recommendation System ◽  
Safe Space ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Private Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Social Causes ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Ethical Responsibilities

<p>The current study is aimed at understanding the impact of TikTok’s recommendation system. The algorithm is perceived as very efficient in targeting users but raises several ethical concerns regarding the ability to manipulate users’ experience and the extent to which private data and preferences are respected. Utilizing the data collected from 40 in-depth interviews, this study explores: How do users perceive TikTok’s ethical responsibilities in regard to their algorithmic recommendation system? Furthermore, the analysis discusses and evaluates the tension between a) how the platform’s algorithm feeds users similar videos that they highly appreciate; and, inversely, b) how the diversification of recommendations is limited. A thematic analysis shows interviewees describe TikTok as a safe space where users can be themselves and feel included in a community of people interested in posting content to connect and engage meaningfully beyond difference. However, the algorithm is perceived as harmful because it tries to manipulate and drive users towards specific videos that increase their ‘addiction’ to the platform. Interviewees consider some of the recommendations on the ForYou page to be questionable because they aimed at persuading or nudging in favor of particular hashtags and social causes. This contradiction may partly be explained by the fact that interviewees report their rationalizations in a performative manner in order to avoid feelings of dissonance while attempting to relate to their own self-identity. This observation leads to the idea that the concept of mediated diversity can explain the tension between the expectation of similarity and diversity. </p>

scholarly journals Incidencia del dinero electrónico en el proceso de las actividades económicas

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-91
Author(s):  
Adrián Valencia ◽  
Libi Caamaño
Keyword(s):  
Economic Activities ◽  
Electronic Money ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Monetary System ◽  
Private Banks ◽  
El Sistema ◽  
Study Techniques ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Santa Elena ◽  
Depth Interviews

El nuevo sistema de dinero electrónico es una tendencia innovadora del sistema monetario que favorece las políticas bancarias que tienen como objetivo suministrar los medios de pago necesarios para que el sistema económico opere con eficiencia, por eso es de mayor importancia analizar la incidencia de este, frente al procesos de la actividades económicas en las diferentes áreas comerciales, a partir de dos técnicas de estudio utilizadas, las encuestas realizadas a la población del cantón La Libertad provincia de Santa Elena, y las entrevistas de profundidad realizadas a los representantes de los entes de acuerdo a las inversiones realizadas por el Econ. Mateo Villalba, gerente del Banco Central del Ecuador y el Econ. César Robalino Gonzaga, director de la Asociación de Bancos Privados del Ecuador. En base al estudio, obtuvimos como resultados que cuando entre en vigencia este sistema monetario en las actividades económicas, incidirá en los siguientes procesos, con un 33% en la vida cotidiana de las personas, debido al cambio, seguido con un 20% se menciona dos procesos; incidiendo de manera positiva que se agilizaran las transacciones comerciales y de manera negativa afectaría la economía familiar. Abstract The new electronic money system is an innovative trend of the monetary management, that favors banking policies that are intended to provide the means a payment way; necessary for the economic system for efficient operations, so it is more important to analyze the impact of this, comparing the processes of economic activities in different business areas, from two study techniques used, surveys the population of La Libertad province of Santa Elena, and in-depth interviews conducted to two important entities of the economy the economist Mateo Villalba, manager of the Central Bank of Ecuador and the economist César Robalino Gonzaga, director of the Association of Private Banks of Ecuador. Based on the study, we obtained as results that the effect in monetary system of economic activities, will affect the following processes; with a 33% in the daily lives of people, because of the change, along with 20% in two mentioned processes: impacting positively the commercial transactions and affect negatively the family finances.

scholarly journals SOCIAL CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT: CONNECTING MODERNIZATION AND FAMILY INSTITUTION ON QUALITATIVE GROUNDS

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 82-90
Author(s):  
Imran ◽  
Intikhab Alam ◽  
Mamoon Khan Khattak ◽  
Muhammad Jawad ◽  
Muhammad Aurangzeb Khan
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Unique Feature ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Continuous Change ◽  
The Family ◽  
Interview Guide ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose of the study: The qualitative study has been designed with the primary objective to find the impact of and link between modernization and the changing facets of the family institution. The study also focused on exploring the various dimensions of modernization responsible for bringing change in the family institution. Methodology: The data was collected from the different nature of potential participants from all seven tehsils of district Swat, Pakistan. In-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussion (FDG) were incorporated as research instruments, whereas an interview guide was used under IDIs and FGDs. The collected data were processed under the frame of qualitative research approach wherein after transcribing, and coding of the data themes was identified. Main Findings: The thematic analysis of family structure, patriarchy, decision making in the family, and ways of communication exposed that due to modernization, the family institution is under continuous change. Applications of this study: The research results can be applied to such studies that focus on changes in family institutions, communities with similar socio-cultural characteristics. Novelty/Originality of this study: The unique feature of this study is that such kinds of topics have been very rarely investigated in the context of Pakistani society and especially in Pakhtun culture. 

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