Student Parents or Parent Students in Lockdown Pandemic? A Third Space approach

The pandemic has affected families in many ways. Parents, who at the same time are studying, tend to be an under-represented cohort of adult learners, and in this study, their experiences and reflections, on how they navigated through their dual identities during lockdown, are explored. Through an online survey, 91 student parents from 20 different higher education institutions in the United Kingdom shared their views as to how they balanced their parenting and studying responsibilities during lockdown in early 2021. Findings indicate how student parents felt both their roles were impacted rather negatively, but also how the pandemic provided them opportunities for bridging and resisting binaries, through the emergence of a Third Space (Bhabha, H. K. (1994). The location of culture. New York, NY: Routledge; Soja, E. W. (1996). Third space: Journeys to Los Angeles and other real-and-imagined places. Malden, MA: Blackwell). The study shows how student parents re-positioned their identities, identified ways to manage disruptions caused by the lockdown and acknowledged family time and family relationships as very important.

The COVID-19 Pandemic, University Students in Turkey, and Emergency Online Learning

In this study, we determined how university students in Turkey, a developing country, were able to transition into emergency online learning during COVID-19, what challenges they faced, and the positive experiences that may have come out of this process. We also explored how their positive and negative emotional states may have changed as a result of COVID-19. The sample included 125 students studying in different universities across Turkey who answered an online questionnaire. Results indicated that students’ positive emotions decreased and negative emotions increased significantly. Results also showed that the students experienced the following challenges during emergency online learning: not benefiting from online classes, lack of motivation in following online classes, problems related to family life and finances, increased levels of homework, and problems related to Internet access. In terms of positive experiences, students indicated spending more quality time with family, time for hobbies and personal development, examining life and personal existence, increase in the level of academic development due to homework assignments, and increase in grade-point-average. Students’ answers also revealed that their instructors may have been going through some difficulties as well. Students highlighted complaints related to their instructors’ lack of interest in teaching, not holding lectures, or not uploading class notes or slides, and their difficulty in getting in touch with their instructors. Implications are discussed.

COVID-19 Daily Realities for Families: A South African Sample

The COVID-19 pandemic affected families globally. Empirical research has been explored to understand the impact of COVID-19 on families across countries, however, there are limited findings of how COVID-19 has affected the daily realities of families in South Africa. This study used an exploratory qualitative research approach to explore the experiences of COVID-19 for South African families. Findings suggest that the negative outcomes of COVID-19 experienced by South African families included a shift in the daily routines, restrictions on family events, lack of socialization and loss of connections, family conflicts, financial constraints as well as psychological impacts. On the contrary, the positive outcomes included increased family time and communication, cleanliness, and good health status, and improved financial management. Implications for future research should include research focused on the health impacts of COVID-19 on diverse family structures, family compositions, and family dynamics. In-depth research and findings can assist in developing policies and interventions for families.

COVID-19 effects on my social and family life as student

<p>The COVID-19 pandemic we have undergone has hit us unexpectedly and has affected our lives one way or another, requiring us to readapt in order to coexist with this virus. My name is Gabriel de la Hoz Ruiz, and I recently completed my research work for my Master’s Degree with Dr. Manojkumar Arthikala in the unit ENES-UNAM under the joint degree program between Spain and Mexico. I am currently doing paperwork to defend my thesis. During the pandemic, the entire administrative process slowed down, although all academic activities are being held in their regular fashion, so there has been no need to put them off. Research has continued, always respecting safety guidelines, helping us acquire more and more knowledge on the agro-genomic area. At a personal level, my lifestyle has changed very much. Family time has been cut down as much as possible in order to avoid risks of infection and due to local mobility restrictions. My social life has also been affected, since there is a feeling of insecurity towards the health situation of others regarding COVID-19. This produces a sense of monotony in me since social interaction is so important to me. However, confinement has led to greater social connectivity and greater unity in the family via digital media, which have helped make up for social distance and the lack of our loved ones. Through these media, we have had the emotional support of our families when we need them the most. In conclusion, we are adapting in all spheres of life in the best way possible, proving that, as a society, we can continue having academic and work lives with the greatest normality possible to continue with our personal growth, but with the adequate protection and responsibility of looking after the health of those around us.</p>

Mengembangkan Self Regulation Mahasiswa agar dapat Mengikuti Pembelajaran Online Lebih Produktif

Tujuan pelatihan ini untuk meningkatkan kemampuan mahasiswa mengelola dirinya (self regulation/SRL) agar dapat mengikuti pembelajaran online dengan lebih produktif. Dua puluh empat mahasiswa fakultas Psikologi Unika Soegijapranata berpartisipasi dalam pelatihan ini. Sebelum pelaksanaan, peserta diminta untuk mengisi skala yang berisi aitem tentang SRL sebagai data pre test. Pelatihan diselenggarakan dalam 4 minggu dengan durasi waktu 120 menit setiap sesi yang akan disampaikan secara daring dengan menggunakan platform google meet. Setiap sesi pelatihan diikuti dengan pemberian tugas rumah yang harus disusun dan dipraktekkan. Di akhir sesi akan diberikan skala SRL yang sama sebagai data post test. Materi pelatihan mencakup : (1)Penyampaian materi tentang SRL, menetapkan goal setting dan latihan untuk menyusun aktivitas harian selama satu hari; (2) Pemberian materi tentang kesiapan diri sebelum-saat dan setelah mengikuti pembelajaran online dan time management; (3) Evaluasi pelaksanaan dari perencanaan yang telah dilakukan selama 3 hari; (4) Evaluasi pelaksanaan aktivitas yang diselenggarakan selama 5 hari.Lembar informed consent diberikan untuk memastikan kesediaan peserta untuk mengikuti keseluruhan pelatihan. E-sertifikat diberikan pada peserta yang mengikuti seluruh rangkaian pelatihan. Data pre test dan post test dianalisis dengan menggunakan statistik parametrik analisis Uji Paired T-Test. Hasilnya menunjukkan nilai t = 1.707 (p>0.05) yang menunjukkan tidak ada perbedaan antara sebelum dan setelah mengikuti pelatihan. Sekalipun demikian, secara lisan peserta menyampaikan setelah mengikuti pelatihan ini lebih mampu mengelola waktunya dengan lebih prduktif, menetapkan goal setting, membuat perencanaan aktivitas yang realistis dengan menimbang aktvitas lain yang harus dilakukan seperti waktu untuk istirahat, family time dan me time.

Exploring Mental Health during the Initial COVID-19 Lockdown in Mumbai: Serendipity for Some Women

Background: This study explored how low-income women already distressed by reproductive challenges were affected during the initial lockdown conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mumbai, India. Methods: Women with reproductive challenges and living in established slums participated in a longitudinal mixed-methods study comparing their mental health over time, at pre-COVID-19 and at one and four-months into India’s COVID-19 lockdown. Results: Participants (n = 98) who presented with elevated mental health symptoms at baseline had significantly reduced symptoms during the initial lockdown. Improvements were associated with income, socioeconomic status, perceived stress, social support, coping strategies, and life satisfaction. Life satisfaction explained 37% of the variance in mental health change, which was qualitatively linked with greater family time (social support) and less worry about necessities, which were subsidized by the government. Conclusions: As the pandemic continues and government support wanes, original mental health issues are likely to resurface and possibly worsen, if unaddressed. Our research points to the health benefits experienced by the poor in India when basic needs are at least partially met with government assistance. Moreover, our findings point to the critical role of social support for women suffering reproductive challenges, who often grieve alone. Future interventions to serve these women should take this into account.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Visiting Policies: A Worldwide Survey

The purpose of this study was to evaluate pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) visiting policies around the world and how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected these policies, due to concerns relating to a viral transmission. A web-based international survey was designed and disseminated through social networks, emails, or direct messages. Two hundred forty-one answers were received. From these, 26 were excluded (13 due to missing location and 13 duplicated answers), resulting in a final number of 215 answers. Europe accounted for 35% of responses (n = 77), South America 22.4% (n = 49), North America 19% (n = 41), Asia 16.5% (n = 36), Central America 2.7% (n = 6), Oceania, and Africa 2.2% each (n = 5 each). Before the pandemic, reported admission/visiting policies already varied between continents. Family time schedules remained similar to the pre-pandemic period in half of European, Central, and South American units and have changed in 60% of Asian, African, North American, and Oceanian units. Access to PICUs has been granted for patients and caregivers tested negative for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS COV-2) in only part of studied PICUs. Isolation precautions for the visitors were intensified at the onset of the pandemic. Changes in visiting policies were observed in most PICUs worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, with some PICUs prohibiting any visitation by families. These changes can decrease possibilities of parental participation in emotional support and reduction of sedation needs, early mobility, and shared decision-making process and impact negatively both children and parental well-being and even patients' outcomes.

Family Time and Own Time on Holiday: Generation, Gender, and Group Dynamic Perspectives from New Zealand

<p>This thesis is about the family holiday experiences of the whole family group and its individual members by studying the anticipations before the holiday and the short- and longer-term holiday experiences/recollections after their holiday. This primarily qualitative study links a survey with data triangulation of whole-family interviews. The combination of different methods reflects the holistic and critical research approach within the interpretive research paradigm. It takes a symbolic interactionist perspective which allows a focus on inter-personal relations and forms the basis for a grounded theory methodology (GTM). There is an absence of family tourism research on the experiences of the father, the child, and on group dynamics which has excluded the individual and collective perspectives on the different phases of the holiday. The conceptual framework addresses the gaps identified (as reflected in the research question) by exploring the social experiences and meanings of family holidays over time using gender, generation, and group perspectives. This study is based on a parental survey through schools which was followed by three rounds of whole-family interviews (once before and twice after the holiday) conducted over about one year (2006-2007). The survey with 110 parents provided context and selection of participants for the intensive study of 10 families and their members (20 parents and 20 children). This study resulted in a definition of family holidays based on parental perspectives from the survey and familial perspectives from the interviews which encapsulated notions of togetherness, plurality of families, purpose, change of routine, fun, balance, individual pursuits, compromise, conflict, and length. The iterative research combined with the GTM resulted in a theoretical framework of the main themes on family holidays as governed by family time and own time. Family time encapsulates the time spent together with the immediate and extended family while own time encapsulates freedoms from family commitments to pursue own interests alone or with peers. The relationship between these notions of time leads to the internal family group dynamics of cooperation, compromise, and conflict which are influenced by contextual factors. While family time dominates the Western discourse on family life, it is the inclusion of more individualistic elements in own time that acknowledges a more realistic and sustainable presentation of family holidays. Other results highlight that parents and children bring different purposes on holiday in that parents are more deliberate about social identity formation whereas children seek fun and sociality. The findings also emphasise the undervaluation of the fathers' role as main entertainer of the children. Thus, more debate is needed about the different generational, gendered, and group roles and understandings on holiday. Family holidays, then, have multiple meanings and purposes reflecting the multivocality of its members. A more holistic and critical approach in thinking and research is needed to allow for a homeostasis between social identities based on collective pursuits and on more individual interests.</p>

Family Time and Own Time on Holiday: Generation, Gender, and Group Dynamic Perspectives from New Zealand

<p>This thesis is about the family holiday experiences of the whole family group and its individual members by studying the anticipations before the holiday and the short- and longer-term holiday experiences/recollections after their holiday. This primarily qualitative study links a survey with data triangulation of whole-family interviews. The combination of different methods reflects the holistic and critical research approach within the interpretive research paradigm. It takes a symbolic interactionist perspective which allows a focus on inter-personal relations and forms the basis for a grounded theory methodology (GTM). There is an absence of family tourism research on the experiences of the father, the child, and on group dynamics which has excluded the individual and collective perspectives on the different phases of the holiday. The conceptual framework addresses the gaps identified (as reflected in the research question) by exploring the social experiences and meanings of family holidays over time using gender, generation, and group perspectives. This study is based on a parental survey through schools which was followed by three rounds of whole-family interviews (once before and twice after the holiday) conducted over about one year (2006-2007). The survey with 110 parents provided context and selection of participants for the intensive study of 10 families and their members (20 parents and 20 children). This study resulted in a definition of family holidays based on parental perspectives from the survey and familial perspectives from the interviews which encapsulated notions of togetherness, plurality of families, purpose, change of routine, fun, balance, individual pursuits, compromise, conflict, and length. The iterative research combined with the GTM resulted in a theoretical framework of the main themes on family holidays as governed by family time and own time. Family time encapsulates the time spent together with the immediate and extended family while own time encapsulates freedoms from family commitments to pursue own interests alone or with peers. The relationship between these notions of time leads to the internal family group dynamics of cooperation, compromise, and conflict which are influenced by contextual factors. While family time dominates the Western discourse on family life, it is the inclusion of more individualistic elements in own time that acknowledges a more realistic and sustainable presentation of family holidays. Other results highlight that parents and children bring different purposes on holiday in that parents are more deliberate about social identity formation whereas children seek fun and sociality. The findings also emphasise the undervaluation of the fathers' role as main entertainer of the children. Thus, more debate is needed about the different generational, gendered, and group roles and understandings on holiday. Family holidays, then, have multiple meanings and purposes reflecting the multivocality of its members. A more holistic and critical approach in thinking and research is needed to allow for a homeostasis between social identities based on collective pursuits and on more individual interests.</p>

Families, Work and Home Care

This article discusses the Finnish child home care allowance. It describes the main features of the allowance and positions it into the broader picture of Finnish childcare policies. The article approaches the home care allowance also from the perspective of daily life and asks how the beneficiaries themselves assess the use of the benefit. This discussion is based on interviews of 20 parents. The interviews were conducted as part of the research project Contradictory Reality of the Child Home Care Allowance funded by the Academy of Finland. The article pays attention to the contradictory nature of the child home care allowance and brings out possible problems related to it. It highlights three themes through and in relation to which parents make sense of their choice of home care. These are family time, the best interest of the child and manageable daily life.