Pauline Fox

Evaluation of an intervention to help students avoid unintentional plagiarism by improving their authorial identity.

Students with poorly developed authorial identity may be at risk of unintentional plagiarism. An instructional intervention designed specifically to improve authorial identity was delivered to 364 psychology students at three post‐1992 universities in London, UK, and evaluated with before‐and‐after measures of beliefs and attitudes about academic authorship, using the Student Authorship Questionnaire. Changes in questionnaire scores showed that the intervention led to significantly increased confidence in writing, understanding of authorship, knowledge to avoid plagiarism, and top‐down approaches to writing, and significantly decreased bottom‐up and pragmatic approaches to writing. For understanding of authorship, knowledge to avoid plagiarism and pragmatic approaches to writing, significant intervention by year of study interaction effects showed that the greatest improvements were among year one undergraduates. Direct evaluative feedback showed that 86% of students believed the intervention helped them avoid plagiarism and 66% believed it helped them write better assignments. Post‐intervention focus groups revealed changed student understandings about authorial identity and academic writing. The results show that interventions can help students avoid unintentional plagiarism by adopting more authorial roles in their academic writing. Further research could explore other influences on authorial identity, and examine the impact of authorial identity interventions on other outcome indicators.

Examination of the use of smoking for weight control in restrained and unrestrained eaters

Recent research has examined the perceived benefits of smoking and suggests that continued smoking may be related to contemporary concerns for weight and shape. The present study examined the role of restrained eating in predicting smoking for reasons of weight control, reports of weight gain following cessation, and reasons for relapse and intentions to quit. Eighty-four restrained eaters and 83 unrestrained eaters completed a questionnaire examining their smoking behavior. The results suggest that the restrained eaters gave significantly greater endorsement than the unrestrained eaters to statements relating to smoking initiation and smoking maintenance for weight control, the role of weight gain in previous experiences of smoking relapse, intentions to quit following weight loss, and intentions to quit in 5 years. No differences were found between the restrained and unrestrained eaters in terms of experiences of post cessation weight gain, the number of attempts to quit, and intentions to quit in 6 months. The results are discussed in terms of developing a model of the relationship between smoking and weight concerns.

Students who self-harm: Coping style, Rumination and Alexithymia

Counsellors working with students or other young adults may encounter individuals who have self-harmed, either with suicidal or non-suicidal intent. Recent US studies reported rates of self-injury of up to 37% of the student population, but studies in the UK have focussed primarily on younger adolescents. This study examined reported self-harm incidents (scratching, cutting, poisoning, overdose etc) from a sample of 617 university students. A total of 27% reported at least one incident of self-harm, with almost 10% having harmed themselves while at university. Gender differences were not significant but psychology students reported significantly more self-harm than other students. Participants reporting self-harm scored significantly higher on maladaptive coping styles, rumination, and alexithymia (specifically difficulty in identifying emotions) and these differences were most marked for students reporting repetitive and recent self-harm. Rumination and Alexithymia factor 1 (difficulty identifying feelings) emerged as the most robust factors predicting self-harm status. Comments from students who self-harmed at university highlighted the importance of accessible services and academic staff support. The implications of these findings for counselling interventions are discussed, including challenging negative rumination tendencies and developing mindfulness skills.

Women’s Experiences of Coping With Pregnancy Termination for Fetal Abnormality:

Pregnancy termination for fetal abnormality (TFA) can have significant psychological consequences. Most previous research has been focused on measuring the psychological outcomes of TFA, and little is known about the coping strategies involved. In this article, we report on women’s coping strategies used during and after the procedure. Our account is based on experiences of 27 women who completed an online survey. We analyzed the data using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Coping comprised four structures, consistent across time points: support, acceptance, avoidance, and meaning attribution. Women mostly used adaptive coping strategies but reported inadequacies in aftercare, which challenged their resources. The study’s findings indicate the need to provide sensitive, nondirective care rooted in the acknowledgment of the unique nature of TFA. Enabling women to reciprocate for emotional support, promoting adaptive coping strategies, highlighting the potential value of spending time with the baby, and providing long-term support (including during subsequent pregnancies) might promote psychological adjustment to TFA.

Termination of Pregnancy for Fetal Abnormality: A Meta-Ethnography of Women's Experiences

Abstract Due to technological advances in antenatal diagnosis of fetal abnormalities, more women face the prospect of terminating pregnancies on these grounds. Much existing research focuses on women’s psychological adaptation to this event. However, there is a lack of holistic understanding of women’s experiences. This article reports a systematic review of qualitative studies into women’s experiences of pregnancy termination for fetal abnormality. Eight databases were searched up to April 2014 for peer-reviewed studies, written in English, that reported primary or secondary data, used identifiable and interpretative qualitative methods, and offered a valuable contribution to the synthesis. Altogether, 4,281 records were screened; 14 met the inclusion criteria. The data were synthesised using meta-ethnography. Four themes were identified: a shattered world, losing and regaining control, the role of health professionals and the power of cultures. Pregnancy termination for fetal abnormality can be considered as a traumatic event that women experience as individuals, in their contact with the health professional community, and in the context of their politico-socio-legal environment. The range of emotions and experiences that pregnancy termination for fetal abnormality generates goes beyond the abortion paradigm and encompasses a bereavement model. Coordinated care pathways are needed that enable women to make their own decisions and receive supportive care. Résumé En raison des progrès technologiques du diagnostic prénatal, davantage de femmes risquent de devoir interrompre leur grossesse pour une anomalie fłtale. La plupart des recherches portent sur l’adaptation psychologique des femmes à cet événement. Néanmoins, on manque de vision globale de l’expérience des femmes. Cet article rend compte de l’examen systématique d’études qualitatives sur l’expérience de femmes ayant interrompu leur grossesse pour anomalie fłtale. Dans huit bases de données, on a recherché jusqu’en avril 2014 des études révisées par les pairs, rédigées en anglais, fournissant des données primaires ou secondaires, qui utilisaient des méthodes qualitatives identifiables et interprétatives, et offraient une contribution utile à la synthèse. Au total, 4281 fichiers ont été examinés ; 14 réunissaient les critères d’inclusion. Les données ont été synthétisées en utilisant la méta-ethnographie. Quatre thèmes ont été identifiés : un monde brisé, le contrôle perdu et retrouvé, le rôle des professionnels de santé et le pouvoir des cultures. L’interruption de grossesse pour anomalie fłtale peut être considérée comme un événement traumatique auquel les femmes doivent faire face en tant qu’individus, dans leur contact avec la communauté des professionnels de santé et dans le contexte de leur environnement politico-socio-juridique. L’éventail des émotions et des expériences que suscite l’interruption de grossesse pour anomalie fłtale va au-delà du paradigme de l’avortement et englobe un modèle de deuil. Des filières coordonnées de soins sont nécessaires pour permettre aux femmes de prendre leurs propres décisions et de recevoir des soins d’accompagnement. Resumen Debido a los avances tecnológicos en el diagnóstico prenatal de anormalidades fetales, más mujeres contemplan la opción de interrumpir un embarazo por este motivo. Gran parte de los estudios disponibles se enfocan en la adaptación psicológica de la mujer a este suceso. Sin embargo, se carece de un entendimiento holista de las experiencias de las mujeres. Este artículo reporta una revisión sistemática de estudios cualitativos de las experiencias de las mujeres con la interrupción del embarazo por anormalidad fetal. En ocho bases de datos, se realizó una búsqueda hasta abril de 2014 de estudios revisados por pares, redactados en inglés, que reportaron datos primarios o secundarios, utilizaron métodos cualitativos identificables e interpretativos, y ofrecían una contribución valiosa a la síntesis. En total, se examinaron 4281 estudios; 14 reunían los criterios de inclusión. Los datos fueron sintetizados utilizando meta-etnografía. Se identificaron cuatro temáticas: un mundo destrozado, perdiendo y volviendo a ganar control, el role de profesionales de la salud y el poder de culturas. La interrupción del embarazo por anormalidad fetal puede considerarse un suceso traumático que las mujeres experimentan como personas individuales, en su contacto con la comunidad de profesionales de la salud, y en el contexto del ambiente político-socio-jurídico. La variedad de emociones y experiencias que genera la interrupción del embarazo por anormalidad fetal va más allá del paradigma de aborto y abarca un modelo de pesar. Se necesitan opciones de servicios coordinados que les permitan a las mujeres tomar sus propias decisiones y recibir atención con apoyo.

Perinatal grief following a termination of pregnancy for foetal abnormality: the impact of coping strategies

Pregnancy termination for foetal abnormality (TFA) can have significant psychological repercussions, but little is known about the coping strategies involved in dealing with TFA. This study examined the relationships between womens coping strategies and perinatal grief.

Promoting mental health in students: is there a role for sleep?

Independently both the role of being a student and reporting insufficient or unsatisfactory sleep have been shown to have deleterious consequences on mental health. However, few studies have examined the combined relationship between students’ sleep patterns specifically with mental health in mind, and how individual psychological characteristics and situational factors can influence this relationship. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between sleep functioning and students’ levels of perceived stress over the course of an exam period. Additionally, the influence of perfectionism (as an individual characteristic) and daytime sleep-related intrusive thoughts (sleep catastrophising) on sleep functioning and stress were also examined. Two assumptions were tested. Firstly, that stress would increase between baseline and the morning of the exam and secondly, that this relationship would be moderated by poor sleep functioning, sleep catastrophising and levels of perfectionism. Levels of stress, sleep functioning and sleep catastrophising were examined over a seven-day period in 48 Access to Higher Education students about to take an exam and 44 non-exam taking controls. For the exam group, levels of stress and sleep catastrophising increased between time-points. At baseline higher reported perfectionism predicted stress scores. Conversely, low perfectionism predicted high stress on the morning of the exam. Additionally, going to bed later and high levels of sleep catastrophising were also related to stress levels the morning of the exam. The results suggest an association between perfectionism and pre-exam stress, and are discussed in terms of mental health promotion for higher education students.

Posttraumatic growth following pregnancy termination for fetal abnormality: the predictive role of coping strategies and perinatal grief

ABSTRACT Background: Research about termination for fetal abnormality (TFA) suggests that it is a traumatic event with potential negative psychological consequences. However, evidence also indicates that following traumatic events individuals may experience growth. Although TFA’s negative psychological outcomes are well documented, little is known of the potential for growth following this event. Therefore, the study’s objectives were to measure posttraumatic growth (PTG) post-TFA, examine the relationship between PTG, perinatal grief and coping, and determine the predictors of PTG. Design: An online, retrospective survey was conducted with 161 women. Methods: Eligible participants were women over 18 who had undergone TFA. Participants were recruited from a support organisation. They completed the Brief COPE, Short Perinatal Grief Scale and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Data were analysed using regression analyses. Results: Moderate levels of PTG were observed for “relating to others,” “personal strengths” and “appreciation of life.” “Positive reframing” was a significant predictor of PTG. Despite using mainly “adaptive” coping strategies, women’s grief levels were high. Conclusions: “Adaptive” coping strategies such as, “positive reframing” are relevant to TFA. They may act as protective factors against distress and as foundations for growth, implicating that interventions such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which aim to reframe women’s experience, may be beneficial.

Competence-Based Training and Assessment by Portfolio: The Health Psychology Model

All UK postgraduate qualifications in applied areas of psychology will soon be competence-based. This will improve the professional recognition and esteem of applied psychology, and make it easier to transfer qualifications between psychology and other disciplines and between psychology sub-disciplines. However, the changes pose considerable challenges because there is very little clear evidence about the effectiveness of competence-based training and portfolio assessment. Health psychology has led the development of competence-based training in psychology with the ‘stage two’ qualification in health psychology, and this article considers postgraduate health psychology training in the context of what is known about competence-based training and portfolio assessment in professions such as medicine, nursing and education. This raises a number of questions for professional training and qualifications in psychology.

Pregnancy termination for fetal abnormality: are health professionals’ perceptions of women’s coping congruent with women’s accounts?

BackgroundPregnancy termination for fetal abnormality (TFA) may have profound psychological consequences for those involved. Evidence suggests that women’s experience of care influences their psychological adjustment to TFA and that they greatly value compassionate healthcare. Caring for women in these circumstances presents challenges for health professionals, which may relate to their understanding of women’s experience. This qualitative study examined health professionals’ perceptions of women’s coping with TFA and assessed to what extent these perceptions are congruent with women’s accounts.MethodsFifteen semi-structured interviews were carried out with health professionals in three hospitals in England. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and compared with women’s accounts of their own coping processes to identify similarities and differences.ResultsHealth professionals’ perceptions of women’s coping processes were congruent with women’s accounts in identifying the roles of support, acceptance, problem-solving, avoidance, another pregnancy and meaning attribution as key coping strategies. Health professionals regarded coping with TFA as a unique grieving process and were cognisant of women’s idiosyncrasies in coping. They also considered their role as information providers as essential in helping women cope with TFA. The findings also indicate that health professionals lacked insight into women’s long-term coping processes and the potential for positive growth following TFA, which is consistent with a lack of aftercare following TFA reported by women.ConclusionsHealth professionals’ perceptions of women’s coping with TFA closely matched women’s accounts, suggesting a high level of understanding. However, the lack of insight into women’s long-term coping processes has important clinical implications, as research suggests that coping with TFA is a long-term process and that the provision of aftercare is beneficial to women. Together, these findings call for further research into the most appropriate ways to support women post-TFA, with a view to developing a psychological intervention to better support women in the future.