scholarly journals “It’s Very Stressful for Children”: Elementary School-Aged Children’s Psychological Wellbeing during COVID-19 in Canada

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1185
Author(s):  
Laena Maunula ◽  
Julia Dabravolskaj ◽  
Katerina Maximova ◽  
Shannon Sim ◽  
Noreen Willows ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Psychological Wellbeing ◽  
Depth Information ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Future Health ◽  
School Closures ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Positive Coping ◽  
Negative Impacts

Emerging evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures, including lockdowns and school closures, have been negatively affecting school-aged children’s psychological wellbeing. To identify supports required to mitigate the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we gathered in-depth information on school-aged children’s and parents’ lived experiences of COVID-19 and perceptions of its impact on psychological wellbeing in grade 4–6 students in Canada. In this qualitative study, we conducted telephone-based semi-structured interviews with parents (n = 15) and their children (n = 16) from six schools in small and mid-sized northern prairie communities in Canada. Interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis. Three interrelated themes have emerged. First, the start of COVID-19 brought sudden and stressful changes to children’s lives. Second, disruptions to daily life led to feelings of boredom and lack of purpose. Third, limited opportunities for social interaction led to loneliness and an increase in screen time to seek social connection with peers. Results underscore the need for resilience building and the promotion of positive coping strategies to help school-aged children thrive in the event of future health crises or natural disasters.

Self-reported wellbeing and sample characteristics in a survey of 19000 school pupils during the first UK COVID-19 school closures

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Mansfield ◽  
Christoph Jindra ◽  
Galit Geulayov ◽  
Mina Fazel
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Social Deprivation ◽  
Further Education ◽  
School Closures ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
June July ◽  
Primary School Pupils ◽  
Further Education Colleges ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBackgroundUnderstanding the impact of COVID-19 and associated school closures on the wellbeing of children and young people is important for guiding the provision of support for educational and wellbeing needs, and to prevent long-term negative impacts. Such insight can benefit most from research with large representative samples, which are difficult to capture via most means of recruitment.MethodsWe surveyed 19000 pupils in years 4-13 at schools or Further Education Colleges (FECs) in Southern England during the first period of UK COVID-19 partial school closures (June-July 2020). We asked participants to report how they perceived the impact of lockdown on wellbeing and lifestyle factors. We also collected information on key demographics and characteristics, to assess the representativeness of a sample that can be recruited via schools during a lockdown.ResultsMost responses were from pupils in years 7-10 and most were female and receiving educational provision from home during the first lockdown. The sample captured some responses from young people who said they felt unsafe at school or at home, and some who said they had self-harmed during lockdown. Compared to primary school pupils, responses from pupils at secondary school or FECs revealed higher percentages reporting negative impacts of lockdown, most notably to changes in general happiness, loneliness and management of school work.ConclusionsSelf-perceived changes to wellbeing by school pupils reveal negative impacts of school closures in terms of social deprivation and education on many pupils at secondary schools and FECs. The findings highlight that there have been both positive and negative impacts on the self-perceived wellbeing of school-aged children, with almost one third reporting sleeping and feeling better.

scholarly journals Exploring the Impact of Home-Schooling on the Psychological Wellbeing of Irish Families During the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: A Qualitative Study Protocol

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 160940692098095
Author(s):  
Katriona O’Sullivan ◽  
Amy McGrane ◽  
Serena Clark ◽  
Kevin Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Home Schooling ◽  
Open Access Journal ◽  
The Other ◽  
Psychological Wellbeing ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
The Impact

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed severe restrictions on people’s behavior worldwide with school closures in many countries. These closures have shifted education from the classroom to the home. This change is unprecedented, and home-schooling has placed substantial stress on families across the world. As of 9 April 2020, 1.57 billion children were being educated by families that had little or no experience of protracted home-schooling. An essential but neglected issue related to COVID-19 is the psychological impact of home-schooling on family wellbeing, especially considering the other stressors they are experiencing including social isolation, fears of infection, frustration, boredom, inadequate information, and financial stress. This study explores the impact of home-schooling on family psychological wellbeing during COVID-19. These findings will help develop supports and interventions for this population. Methods: An exploratory qualitative study will be conducted using semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample of families (at least one parent and one child). Participants will be recruited using social media outlets, contacts of academic members and snowball sampling. Interviews will take place using Microsoft Teams and via telephone and recorded for transcription purposes. These transcripts will be analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Ethical approval has been granted by the Social Research Ethics Subcommittee (SRESC) Maynooth University (2407411). The Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) has funded the research with the COVID-19 rapid response grant. The dissemination of findings will be through open access journal publications, distribution of lay summaries, press release and policy papers. Discussion: The research findings will discuss the impact that home-schooling has had on family psychological wellbeing. It will examine how parents are managing their children’s education and learning while handling the other stresses associated with COVID-19. A deeper understanding of the impact of school closures and home-schooling on family processes is essential if the psychological wellbeing of families is to be protected and supported during challenging times such as health-related disasters.

scholarly journals The Lived Experiences of Stigmatization in the Process of HIV Status Disclosure among People Living with HIV in Taiwan

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 5089
Author(s):  
Chia-Hui Yu ◽  
Chu-Yu Huang ◽  
Nai-Ying Ko ◽  
Heng-Hsin Tung ◽  
Hui-Man Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Status ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Hiv Status Disclosure ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Status Disclosure

People living with HIV (PLWH) face social stigma which makes disclosure of HIV status difficult. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to understand the lived experiences of stigmatization in the process of disease disclosure among PLWH in Taiwan. Analysis of the semi-structured interviews from 19 PLWH in Taiwan revealed two phases and six themes. Phase one “experiences before disclosure” involved three themes: “Struggles under the pressure of concealing the HIV Status,” “Torn between fear of unemployment/isolation and desire to protect closed ones,” and “Being forced to disclose the HIV status.” Phase two “experiences after disclosure” included three themes: “Receiving special considerations and requirements from school or work,” “Receiving differential treatments in life and when seeking medical care,” and “Stress relief and restart.” Healthcare professionals need to assess stigmatization in PLWH and develop individualized approaches to assist with the disease disclosure process.

“Spending all this time stressing and worrying and calculating”: Marginal Food Security and Student Life at a Diverse Urban University

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Ryan J Gamba ◽  
Michael T Schmeltz ◽  
Nancy Ortiz ◽  
Alina Engelman ◽  
Juleen Lam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Academic Motivation ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
High Food ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Food Security Status

Abstract Objective: Food security status is a continuum ranging from high to very low food security. While marginal food security falls next to high food security on the spectrum, new quantitative research indicates marginal food security status is associated with negative health outcomes and poor academic performance among college students. Qualitative research focusing on college students experiencing marginal food security has not been conducted. This study aims to qualitatively explore experiences of college students with marginal food security and to identify themes to better understand and provide context regarding how marginal food security impacts students. Design: Students were recruited for semi-structured interviews with questions designed to study the challenges associated with students’ food situations. All interviews were recorded and transcribed with themes identified via an inductive approach. Setting: A large public university on the US west coast. Participants: Thirty college students. Results: Key themes that emerged: purchasing cheap unhealthy foods; insufficient time to prepare and eat meals on a regular basis; stress and anxiety around the inability to eat healthy food and future health issues; self-perception of health when eating poorly along with physical symptoms; and low academic motivation by not fully participating in their courses due to few healthy food options or missing meals. Conclusion: Marginal food security can potentially diminish students’ health and their capacity to learn and succeed in their coursework. The results emphasize that students experiencing marginal food security should not be grouped with students experiencing high food security.

scholarly journals Reopening schools safely in the face of COVID-19: Can cluster randomized trials help?

2021 ◽  
pp. 174077452098486
Author(s):  
Charles Weijer ◽  
Karla Hemming ◽  
Spencer Phillips Hey ◽  
Holly Fernandez Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Trials ◽  
Cluster Randomized Trial ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
School Closures ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
The Face ◽  
Community Transmission ◽  
Cluster Randomized ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health Policymaking

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the challenges of evidence-based health policymaking, as critical precautionary decisions, such as school closures, had to be made urgently on the basis of little evidence. As primary and secondary schools once again close in the face of surging infections, there is an opportunity to rigorously study their reopening. School-aged children appear to be less affected by COVID-19 than adults, yet schools may drive community transmission of the virus. Given the impact of school closures on both education and the economy, schools cannot remain closed indefinitely. But when and how can they be reopened safely? We argue that a cluster randomized trial is a rigorous and ethical way to resolve these uncertainties. We discuss key scientific, ethical, and resource considerations both to inform trial design of school reopenings and to prompt discussion of the merits and feasibility of conducting such a trial.

scholarly journals Effects of School Holidays on Seasonal Influenza in South Korea, 2014–2016

2020 ◽  
Vol 222 (5) ◽  
pp. 832-835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sukhyun Ryu ◽  
Sheikh Taslim Ali ◽  
Benjamin J Cowling ◽  
Eric H Y Lau
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Seasonal Influenza ◽  
School Closure ◽  
Surveillance Data ◽  
Influenza Surveillance ◽  
School Closures ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Severe Influenza ◽  
Influenza Transmission

Abstract School closures are considered as a potential nonpharmaceutical intervention to mitigate severe influenza epidemics and pandemics. In this study, we assessed the effects of scheduled school closure on influenza transmission using influenza surveillance data before, during, and after spring breaks in South Korea, 2014–2016. During the spring breaks, influenza transmission was reduced by 27%–39%, while the overall reduction in transmissibility was estimated to be 6%–23%, with greater effects observed among school-aged children.

Understanding the complexity of domestic violence service delivery through the lived experiences of domestic violence advocates

2021 ◽  
pp. 002087282110416
Author(s):  
Ga-Young Choi ◽  
Soonok An ◽  
Hyungak Cho ◽  
Eun Koh
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
The United States ◽  
Victim Blaming ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Domestic Violence Survivors ◽  
Domestic Violence Services

This qualitative research explored the lived experiences of domestic violence advocates to better understand the elements involved in domestic violence service delivery in the United States, focusing on positive and challenging aspects of their work. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 advocates who assisted domestic violence survivors. Advocates’ persistent engagement in reflective practice and advocacy for the survivors against a victim-blaming culture were identified as important elements in delivering multi-faceted domestic violence services. Implications for social work and domestic violence practice in improving domestic violence service delivery for the survivors are discussed.

A post-intentional phenomenological investigation of inclusivity in a therapeutic theatre production

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-191
Author(s):  
Angelle Cook
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Inclusive Production ◽  
Societal Change ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Theatre Production ◽  
Therapeutic Theatre

This article presents a dissertation study that investigated the lived experiences of participants engaged in an inclusive therapeutic theatre production through a post-intentional phenomenological lens, informed by critical dis/ability theory. The study included ten participants aged 14–26 with a variety of dis/abilities. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and a focus group and analysed using thematic analysis. The qualitative findings included six themes and fifteen subthemes. These findings suggested that the participants experienced belonging and community, personal growth and insight, feelings of empowerment and the desire to make societal change by being a part of the inclusive production.

Residents’ attitudes toward tourism development at Al-Juhfa, Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Ahmad Algassim ◽  
Akhmad Saufi ◽  
Diswandi Diswandi ◽  
Noel Scott
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Tourism Development ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Residents Attitudes

Purpose Al-Juhfa is a small village located near Rabigh City, between Makkah and Madinah, Saudi Arabia, with significant archaeological and religious resources. The purpose of this paper is to examine residents’ attitudes toward tourism development at Al-Juhfa. Design/methodology/approach The qualitative study uses purposive interviewing to recruit informants. Data was collected using semi-structured interview and open-ended questions. Eight semi-structured interviews were made and a list of open-ended questions was distributed to 134 informants. All data were analysed and no new codes were found after the answer of the first 49 informants analysed. Findings The results show that residents’ attitudes toward tourism development in general were positive with residents expecting to receive economic, social and environmental benefits. Residents were aware of potential positive and negative impacts of tourism development and appeared to balance these in developing their attitudes. Tourism was seen to empower residents and the religiosity of the community influenced their perception of tourism development. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by supporting the use of social exchange theory in this context and by recommending the inclusion of religiosity in further studies.

Opportunities for improving how and when Canadians are informed about new prescription medications

2020 ◽  
pp. 427-447
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Prescription Medications ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Risks And Benefits ◽  
Medication Information ◽  
First Time ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Larger Sample

The Canadian prescription process requires a person to go through several steps. Prescription medications have associated risks and benefits and it is important for people to be aware of these before and while they are taking medications. One of the approaches to informing people about new prescription medications is that they are provided Consumer Medication Information (CMI). CMI is given to Canadians at the pharmacy when they pick up prescriptions, they will be taking for the first time. This study used semi-structured interviews to examine the lived experiences of a sample of Canadians (N = 36) to identify opportunities for improvement in how and when they are informed about new prescription medications. The findings were synthesized into a journey map. Generally, participants wanted to receive CMI digitally and earlier in the prescription process. Adopting these changes could have several benefits which include loss prevention and increased accessibility to CMI as well as more participatory decision making and opportunities to ask questions. Future research is warranted to explore similar topics with a larger sample and determine what method (e.g., email, website, mobile application) would be most suitable.

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