Exploring University ESL/EFL Teachers’ Emotional Well-Being and Emotional Regulation in the United States, Japan and Austria

Abstract Teacher well-being has been shown to play a central role in the quality of teaching and student achievement (Day & Gu, 2009; Klusmann, Kunter, Trautwein, Lüdtke, & Baumert, 2008). However, the teaching profession is currently in crisis as it faces record rates of burnout and attrition (Borman & Dowling, 2008; Hong, 2010; Lovewell, 2012), including stressors specific to the changing nature of foreign language teaching (Hiver & Dörnyei, 2015; Wieczorek, 2016) and to higher education (Kinman & Wray, 2013). This study seeks to understand how language teachers perceive of and experience their emotional well-being and what strategies they employ to manage it. Through a series of 12 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with ESL/EFL tertiary-level teachers in the United States, Japan and Austria, we explore a range of contexts examining how participants perceive of factors that add to or detract from their emotional well-being, the challenges and joys these teachers face in their professional and personal lives, and the most salient emotional regulation strategies that they employ to manage their emotions.

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Quality of Life and the Carbon Footprint: A Zip-Code Level Study Across the United States

The Journal of Environment & Development ◽

10.1177/10704965211052130 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 323-343

Author(s):

Matthew Thomas Clement ◽

Chad L. Smith ◽

Tyler Leverenz

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

United States ◽

Carbon Footprint ◽

Ecological Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Alternative Measure ◽

Level Data ◽

Zip Code

Much sustainability scholarship has examined the environmental dimensions of subjective and objective well-being. As an alternative measure of human well-being, we consider the notion of quality of life and draw on a framework from the sustainability literature to study its association with ecological impact, specifically the carbon footprint. We conduct a quantitative analysis, combining zip-code level data on quality of life and the carbon footprint per household for the year 2012 across the continental United States ( n=29,953). Findings consistently show a significant, negative association between quality of life and the carbon footprint. Our findings point to the potential advantages of utilizing robust objective measures of quality of life that extends beyond economic well-being and life expectancy alone. Furthermore, our findings question the conventional wisdom that sustainability requires sacrifices, while suggesting opportunities for how increased levels of sustainability may be achieved while retaining high levels of quality of life.

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Creating person-al space for unspoken voices during diagnostic medical imaging examinations: a qualitative study

BMC Health Services Research ◽

10.1186/s12913-021-06958-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Chandra Rekha Makanjee ◽

Anne-Marie Bergh ◽

Deon Xu ◽

Drishti Sarswat

Keyword(s):

Medical Imaging ◽

Medical Practitioner ◽

Well Being ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Patient Journey ◽

Personal Lives ◽

Healthcare Transition ◽

Imaging Department ◽

Patient Cooperation

Abstract Background There is emerging interest in person-centred care within a short-lived yet complex medical imaging encounter. This study explored this event from the viewpoint of patients referred for an imaging examination, with a focus on the person and their person-al space. Methods We used convenience sampling to conduct semi-structured interviews with 21 patients in a private medical imaging practice in Australia. The first phase of data analysis was conducted deductively, using the six elements of the person-centred, patient-journey framework of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare: transition in; engagement; decisions; well-being; experience; and transition out. This was followed by inductive content analysis to identify overarching themes that span a patient’s journey into, through and out of an imaging encounter. Results The transition-in phase began with an appointment and the first point of contact with the imaging department at reception. Engagement focused on patient-radiographer interactions and explanations to the patient on what was going to happen. Decisions related primarily to radiographers’ decisions on how to conduct a particular examination and how to get patient cooperation. Participants’ well-being related to their appreciation of gentle treatment; they also referred to past negative experiences that had made a lasting impression. Transitioning out of the imaging encounter included the sending of the results to the referring medical practitioner. Person-al vulnerabilities emerged as a cross-cutting theme. Patients’ vulnerability, for which they needed reassurance, pertained to uncertainties about the investigation and the possible results. Healthcare professionals were vulnerable because of patient expectations of a certain demeanour and of pressure to perform optimal quality investigations. Lastly, patients’ personal lives, concerns and pressures – their person-al ‘baggage’ – shaped their experience of the imaging encounter. Conclusion To add value to the quality of the service they deliver, radiography practitioners should endeavour to create a person-al space for clients. Creating these spaces is complex as patients are not in a position to judge the procedures required by technical imaging protocols and the quality control of equipment. A reflective tool is proposed for radiographers to use in discussions with their team and its leaders on improving person-centred care and the quality of services in their practice.

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Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nephrology Fellow Training and Well-Being in the United States: A National Survey

Journal of the American Society of Nephrology ◽

10.1681/asn.2020111636 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. ASN.2020111636

Author(s):

Kurtis A. Pivert ◽

Suzanne M. Boyle ◽

Susan M. Halbach ◽

Lili Chan ◽

Hitesh H. Shah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

United States ◽

Training Programs ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Work Life ◽

Work Life Balance ◽

Life Balance ◽

Preparedness For Practice

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic’s effects on nephrology fellows’ educational experiences, preparedness for practice, and emotional wellbeing are unknown.MethodsWe recruited current adult and pediatric fellows and 2020 graduates of nephrology training programs in the United States to participate in a survey measuring COVID-19’s effects on their training experiences and wellbeing.ResultsOf 1005 nephrology fellows-in-training and recent graduates, 425 participated (response rate 42%). Telehealth was widely adopted (90% for some or all outpatient nephrology consults), as was remote learning (76% of conferences were exclusively online). Most respondents (64%) did not have in-person consults on COVID-19 inpatients; these patients were managed by telehealth visits (27%), by in-person visits with the attending faculty without fellows (29%), or by another approach (9%). A majority of fellows (84%) and graduates (82%) said their training programs successfully sustained their education during the pandemic, and most fellows (86%) and graduates (90%) perceived themselves as prepared for unsupervised practice. Although 42% indicated the pandemic had negatively affected their overall quality of life and 33% reported a poorer work-life balance, only 15% of 412 respondents who completed the Resident Well-Being Index met its distress threshold. Risk for distress was increased among respondents who perceived the pandemic had impaired their knowledge base (odds ratio [OR], 3.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.00 to 4.77) or negatively affected their quality of life (OR, 3.47; 95% CI, 2.29 to 5.46) or work-life balance (OR, 3.16; 95% CI, 2.18 to 4.71).ConclusionsDespite major shifts in education modalities and patient care protocols precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, participants perceived their education and preparation for practice to be minimally affected.

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Online Well-Being Focused Curriculums

Medical Education and Ethics ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-0978-3.ch064 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 1415-1429

Author(s):

Michelle Lee D'Abundo ◽

Stephen L. Firsing III ◽

Cara Lynn Sidman

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

United States ◽

Medical Model ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Behavior Change ◽

The United States ◽

Health Issues ◽

Health Related

Education and health are among the most salient issues facing Americans today. The field of public health has moved away from a physical health medical model to a more well-being focused quality-of-life perspective. K-20 curriculums in the United States need to reflect this ideological shift. In this chapter, content-focused curriculums with process-focused health behavior change-oriented learning are proposed as a strategy to promote well-being. Other issues that need to be addressed in the current education system are that the delivery of health-related curriculums is often inconsistent and taught by untrained personnel. Well-being-focused curriculums delivered online can provide consistency to improve the quality of health courses. This innovative approach has the potential to improve educational and health outcomes for K-20 curriculums while addressing public health issues by promoting well-being and quality-of-life for children and adults throughout the United States.

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Concepts of Resilience Among Trauma-Exposed Syrian Refugees

The Counseling Psychologist ◽

10.1177/0011000020970522 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 49 (2) ◽

pp. 233-268

Author(s):

Rawan Atari-Khan ◽

Anna Hope Covington ◽

Lawrence H. Gerstein ◽

Huda al Herz ◽

Betsy R. Varner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Syrian Refugees ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Internally Displaced ◽

External Sources ◽

Displaced People ◽

Internal Sources

Syrian refugees comprise the largest population of internally displaced people in the world, with about 18,000 Syrian refugees resettled in the United States from 2011 to 2016. Although many of these individuals experience trauma that can lead to different mental health problems, most are quite resilient. This qualitative study explores themes of resilience in Syrian refugees, and how these themes differ from Western ideas of resilience. Eight in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Syrian adults in the United States. Questions focused on three experiences: preflight, flight, and postflight. Interviews were conducted in Arabic with a bilingual translator. Thematic analysis was used to identify concepts of resilience. Themes that emerged included: life in Syria outside of conflict, life in Syria during war, seeking refuge, life in the United States, hardships and challenges, systemic failure, comparison between cultures, health and well-being, external sources of resilience, and internal sources of resilience. We discuss research and counseling implications of these results.

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Prenatal care experiences among pregnant women with obesity in Wisconsin, United States: a qualitative quality improvement assessment

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth ◽

10.1186/s12884-021-03629-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Danielle J. Hurst ◽

Nicholas B. Schmuhl ◽

Corrine I. Voils ◽

Kathleen M. Antony

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Prenatal Care ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Perinatal Care ◽

The United States ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Large Size ◽

Midwest Region ◽

Positive Experiences

Abstract Background Stigma and bias experienced during prenatal care can affect quality of care and, ultimately, the health of pregnant women with obesity and their infants. We sought to 1) better understand the bias and stigma that women with BMIs ≥40 kg/m2 experience while receiving prenatal care, 2) gauge women’s interest in group prenatal education for women with obesity, and 3) gather feedback about their preferred weight-related terminology. Methods We conducted and thematically content-analyzed 30 semi-structured interviews of women with BMIs ≥40 kg/m2 who received prenatal care at a university-affiliated teaching hospital in the Midwest region of the United States. Results All women recalled positive experiences during their perinatal care during which they felt listened to and respected by providers. However, many also described a fear of weight-related bias or recalled weight-based discrimination. Women reacted favorably to a proposed group prenatal care option for pregnant women with obesity that focused on nutrition, physical activity, and weight management. Women rated “weight” and “BMI” as the most desirable terms for describing weight, while “large size” and “obesity” were rated least desirable. Conclusions Many pregnant women with BMIs ≥40 kg/m2 experience bias in the prenatal care setting. Potential steps to mitigate bias towards weight include improving provider awareness of the experiences and perspectives of this population, expanding prenatal care options targeted towards women with high BMIs, including group care, and using patient-preferred weight-related terminology. Through the remainder of this manuscript, wherever possible, the term “high BMI” will be used in place of the term “obesity” to describe women with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 in order to respect the preferred terminology of the women we interviewed.

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Academic Well-Being in Higher Education: A Cross-Country Analysis of the Relationship Between Perceptions of Instruction and Academic Well-Being

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.766307 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Dana K. Donohue ◽

Juan Bornman

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

South Africa ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Cultural Value ◽

Quality Of Instruction ◽

Country Analysis ◽

Cross Country ◽

The Relationship

The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between university students’ perceptions of the overall quality of instruction (PQI) they experienced since COVID-19 and their academic well-being. This relationship was examined in the context of a moderated moderation with students’ household income and the cultural value of power distance (PD), which measures the extent to which less powerful members of an organization expect and accept that power is unequally distributed. Two countries with societally moderate levels of PD (South Africa and the United States) were assessed. Moderated moderations between PQI, income, and PD were found for the academic well-being of students from both the United States and South Africa. The patterns of interactions were in some ways similar and other ways different, highlighting the complexity of how students may react to potential stressors in their academic environment. Potential explanations and implications of these results are discussed.

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Interpreting traumatic narratives of unaccompanied child migrants in the United States: Effects, challenges and strategies

Linguistica Antverpiensia, New Series – Themes in Translation Studies ◽

10.52034/lanstts.v20i.601 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

Author(s):

Indira Sultanic

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Ad Hoc ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Migrant Children ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Traumatic Experiences ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Unaccompanied Children ◽

Barriers And Challenges

This research examines the challenges of interpreting for unaccompanied child migrants in the United States and the effect of exposure to the traumatic narratives told by these children, as experienced by the interpreters involved. When a traumatic narrative is introduced, over time it has an effect on the emotional and psychological well-being of an interpreter. This study therefore focuses on the coping mechanisms interpreters employ to minimize the effects of long-term exposure to the traumatic content when they work in settings involving migrant children. During the past few decades, a number of studies have been conducted on the emotional and psychological effects of traumatic content on interpreters who work in various contexts, but very few have focused on interactions involving this vulnerable group of migrants. This study uses a qualitative approach in which data were collected through semi-structured interviews with both trained and ad hoc interpreters who work or have worked with unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the United States since the summer of 2014. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on public service interpreting. It does so by offering the interpreter’s perspective on the specific challenges and difficulties of interpreting for unaccompanied child migrants in that country who face near-insurmountable systemic barriers and challenges. It sheds light on the delicate nature of interpreting for vulnerable groups, especially children, who are seeking asylum there. Furthermore, it brings into focus the applicable strategies that help interpreters prepare for interpreting traumatic experiences, and also for coping both during the act of interpreting and afterwards.

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Location Cubed

Climbing Mount Laurel ◽

10.23943/princeton/9780691196138.003.0001 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-31

Author(s):

Douglas S. Massey ◽

Len Albright ◽

Rebecca Casciano ◽

Elizabeth Derickson ◽

David N. Kinsey

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Residential Mobility ◽

Well Being ◽

Urban Society ◽

The United States ◽

Life Chances ◽

Principal Reason ◽

Spatial Inequalities ◽

The People

This chapter talks about the importance of location in human affairs. Naturally the quality of a dwelling has direct implications for the health, comfort, security, and well-being of the people who inhabit it, and matching the attributes of housing with the needs and resources of families has long been a principal reason for residential mobility in the United States. When people purchase or rent a home, however, they not only buy into a particular dwelling and its amenities but also into a surrounding neighborhood and its qualities, for good or for ill. In contemporary urban society, opportunities and resources tend to be distributed unevenly in space, and in the United States spatial inequalities have widened substantially in recent decades. Where one lives is probably more important now than ever in determining one's life chances. In selecting a place to live, a family does much more than simply choose a dwelling to inhabit; it also selects a neighborhood to occupy.

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