Siobhan Hugh-Jones

Self-reports of short- and long-term effects of bullying on children who stammer

BACKGROUND Victimisation at school may result in long-term social, emotional and psychological effects (Parker & Asher, 1987; Sharp, 1995), particularly for children with special educational needs (Whitney et al., 1994). Children who stammer may be at risk of being bullied due to their peer-relationship and verbal difficulties. AIM This study aimed to explore the nature, frequency and causes of bullying amongst children who stammer as well as the short- and long-term effects of their victimisation. SAMPLE The sample consisted of 276 respondents from the British Stammering Association, a national association for dysfluent people. METHOD A retrospective analysis of school experiences related to bullying, and its effects, was conducted through both semi-structured interviews and postal questionnaires. RESULTS A majority of respondents had experienced bullying at school, and the likelihood of being bullied was related to the reported difficulties in friendship-making. Nearly one-half of teachers and families were reported as not being aware of this bullying. A majority reported immediate negative personal effects of this bullying, and 46% reported some long-term effects. CONCLUSION Logistic regression analyses suggested that the severity of bullying, together with other factors such as difficulty with friendships, predicted these effects. COMMENT In response to the high incidence of bullying experienced by children who stammer, a pack has been developed which aims to create a more empathetic school climate where differences are tolerated rather than assaulted.

What effect does a cancer diagnosis have on the educational engagement and school life of teenagers? A systematic review

A diagnosis of cancer during the teenage years arrives at an important stage of development, where issues of normality, identity and independence are crucial. Education provides opportunity for peer contact, achievement and development for teenagers. This systematic review examined the impact of a diagnosis of cancer on the educational engagement and school life of teenagers.

The air's got to be far cleaner here: a discursive analysis of place-identity threat.

That talk is never disinterested complicates the relationship between the environment and the claims people make about it. Talk about place, and ones self in it, is particularly complex when the environment poses risk or is otherwise problematized. This study, a secondary analysis of interview data, seeks to extend discursive work on place-identity by examining the ways in which 14 residents of a small English village talk about themselves and their locale. The locale accommodates an active quarry, and many residents had lodged complaints to the quarry about dust, noise and vibrations from blasting. Attention to the interactional context of the interviews illustrates the ways in which (simply) interviewing people about their locale can threaten self- and place-identity. When asked about life in the village, interviewees oriented to two main dilemmas in protecting self- and place-identity: (1) how to justify continued residence in a challenging environment and (2) how to complain about the locale whilst maintaining positive place-identity. Discursive responses to these dilemmas drew upon typical identity processes, such as self- and place distinctiveness and the formulation of out-groups, as well as upon constructions of localized power-sharing and morally obligated tolerance of risk. We suggest that research on problematical places, and of environmental risk, needs to be sensitized to how it may constitute a threat to self- and place-identity, and how this may mediate formulations self and place, as well as of environmental risk.

How Effective are Mindfulness‐Based Interventions for Reducing Stress Among Healthcare Professionals? A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

Workplace stress is high among healthcare professionals (HCPs) and is associated with reduced psychological health, quality of care and patient satisfaction. This systematic review and meta-analysis reviews evidence on the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for reducing stress in HCPs. A systematic literature search was conducted. Papers were screened for suitability using inclusion criteria and nine papers were subjected to review and quality assessment. Seven papers, for which full statistical findings could be obtained, were also subjected to meta-analysis. Results of the meta-analysis suggest that MBIs have the potential to significantly improve stress among HCPs; however, there was evidence of a file drawer problem. The quality of the studies was high in relation to the clarity of aims, data collection and analysis, but weaker in terms of sample size and the use of theoretical frameworks. MBIs have the potential to reduce stress among HCPs; however, more high-quality research is needed before this finding can be confirmed. Future studies would benefit from long-term follow-up measures to determine any continuing effects of mindfulness training on stress outcomes. Copyright

Paediatric life-limiting conditions: Coping and adjustment in siblings

A total of 31 siblings, aged between 5 and 16 years, of children with a life-limiting condition, participated in a longitudinal, mixed method study. Data collection included standardised psychometric measures and visual and participatory qualitative methods. Emotional functioning and perceptions of self-worth were normative on standardised measures. Qualitative data indicated distinct psychosocial strategies that appeared to underpin functioning, positioning themselves as adults within the family, adopting a role of ‘social glue’ in key relationships and thereby diminishing their own needs, and compartmentalising home and school life. Some strategies appeared adaptive in the short term but may be limiting in the longer term. The implications for professionals working to support families are discussed.

The impact of maternal postnatal depression on men and their ways of fathering: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Objectives: Postnatal depression affects approximately 15% of women in Western countries. There are conflicting findings about the effects on fathers as well as the extent to which fathers buffer against the negative effects of depression on children. This study sought to understand the ways in which maternal postnatal depression affects men and their ways of fathering. Design: Narrative interviews were conducted with 14 British fathers (mean age = 33.9 years) whose (ex)partners had experienced at least one episode of postnatal depression. Interviews explored how their partner’s depression affected them, the partner relationship, their children and their ways of fathering. Data were analysed with interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results and Conclusions: Men felt that their partner’s depression led to significant physical and/or psychological maternal absence as well as a fracturing of the family unit, which had been an important ideological foundation for men’s fathering. Unequal divisions of labour, unfulfilled expectations, a thwarting of preferred ways of fathering and preoccupation with their partner’s depression took some men away from fathering. Others reported adaptation by accepting the loss of shared parenting and investing in an exclusive father–child relationship. Fathering appears to be particularly affected by the loss of a close adult relationship.

Sexual Exhibitionism as ‘Sexuality and Individuality’: A Critique of Psycho-Medical Discourse from the Perspectives of Women who Exhibit:

Exhibitionism is defined by the DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) as a paraphilia involving exposing one’s genitals to a stranger. Within psycho-medical discourse, exhibitionism is defined as abnormal and devoid of sexual motivation, and ‘normal’ female sexuality is often construed as passive. This study sought to explore the ways in which women exhibitionists themselves construct their activities. Six women were interviewed online about their motivations to exhibit and the perceived effects of exhibitionism. Using discourse analysis, we found that the women promoted and normalized their exhibitionism utilizing repertoires such as ‘personal fulfilment’, ‘self as responsible’, and ‘exhibitionism as socially supported’. Notably, the women tended to deploy traditional psycho-medical discourse around male exhibitionists to augment their own, more positive, self-constructions. The alternative constructions of women’s exhibitionism are discussed as well as the unitary conceptualization of paraphilia.

Health-related quality of life in Iranian women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a qualitative study

BackgroundPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with a range of challenging symptoms which impact patient’s lives. Iranian women with PCOS are likely to face a number of unique difficulties given particular societal and cultural norms for women. Understanding health-related quality of life (HRQoL) from a patients’perspective is critical to developing the appropriate support interventions. The present study aimed to generate an in-depthunderstanding of HRQoL Iranian women with PCOS.MethodsTwenty Iranian women were interviewed and data was subjected to thematic analysis.ResultsWomen reported substantial effects of PCOS on their quality of life, Themes generated from the data related to sexual - physical problems (An unsexualised self: loss, change and pain; and Being pained and painful); exposure and nvasion: the rejecting and invading social world (Concealing and Avoiding and Public property: public scrutiny), diminished self and diminished life (Infertile as inferior and Exhausted mind andbody) respectively.ConclusionPCOS is a physical - sexual, psychological and social syndrome; therefore, it is necessary to taking a more holistic approach to patient care beyond treating physical symptoms.

Factors influencing adolescent whole grain intake: A theory-based qualitative study.

Whole grain consumption is associated with reduced risk of chronic disease. One-fifth of UK adults and children do not consume any whole grains, and adolescents have low consumption rates. Factors affecting whole grain intake among adolescents are not well understood. This study examined the socio-economic, environmental, lifestyle and psychological factors likely to influence consumption and explored whether outcomes aligned with behavioural predictors proposed in the Reasoned Action Approach. Five focus groups explored young peoples attitudes towards, knowledge and consumption of wholegrain foods, as well as barriers to, and facilitators of, consumption. Participants were male and female adolescents (n = 50) aged 11-16 years from mixed socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicities, recruited through schools in the city of Leeds, UK. Focus groups were analysed using thematic analysis. Most participants had tried wholegrain food products, with cereal products being the most popular. Many recognised whole grain health benefits related to digestive health but not those related to heart disease or cancers. Several barriers to eating whole grains were identified including: difficulties in identifying wholegrain products and their health benefits; taste and visual appeal; and poor availability outside the home. Suggested facilitators of consumption were advertisements and educational campaigns, followed by improved sensory appeal, increased availability and choice, and tailoring products for young people. All constructs of the Theory of Reasoned Action were identifiable in the data, suggesting that the factors influencing whole grain intake in adolescents are well captured by this model. Study outcomes may inform research and health promotion to increase whole grain intake in this age group.

Using the Adult Attachment Interview to understand Reactive Attachment Disorder: Findings from a 10-case adolescent sample

A feasibility study was conducted to examine the usability of the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) and its coding system with 10 adolescents presenting with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). Given that the measure was deemed usable with all 10 participants, the study then sought to identify the attachment status of the sample. Three transcripts were subjected to inter-rater reliability checks. All transcripts indicated a high level of insecurity, with five participants classified as organized-insecure and five assigned to the cannot classify category. However, a number of issues were raised in the administration and coding of the transcripts concerning participant distress, coding of inferred carer behaviour and experiences of unresolved loss or trauma. We also identified two new phenomena, namely extreme derogation and extreme detachment, and discuss possible development of the existing classification system. Our data indicates that cannot classify attachment status in this population may represent a transitional stage to becoming organized, and that organized insecurity may offer a route to future security. Further minimal adaptations to the AAI may promote the validity of its use with this population.