Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 219-232). Also available on the Internet.

This dissertation aims to find further understanding of how people with special interest in a certain artist utilise music and the fact that they are fans in their everyday lives. I have opted to study two fans included in each group selected for this study: Kiss, Status Quo and Lasse Stefanz, one male and one female fan belonging to each respective group. I have worked according to grounded theory as a method, and through an analysis of their musical life stories, I have attempted to identify why they became fans and how them being fans has affected them in their lives. Four categories, fandom as: a marker of identity, socialisation, a form of self therapy and a pseudo religion and the core category authenticity usage show the results of the study. The categories show that to a large extent it all comes down to the musical identity of these people, i.e. the identity of being a fan, and their experiences of being fans. They have been socialised into a specific genre, which has meant increased interest in a specific artist. Family, media and friends have all played a part in this socialisation. The informants have developed cultural competence as concerns their idols, although they have also gained the subcultural capital resources required in order to come across as credible fans. Various kinds of experiences offer meaning and nourish the fans. Security and stability in everyday lives are also contributing factors to them being fans and the music offers them something that they are unable to acquire from elsewhere. They have established different strategies in order to be able to be fans, one of these being legitimacy. A vital part of this legitimacy consists in them viewing the bands as authentic, i.e. important. / <p>Eva Kjellander är också affilierad med Linné-universitetet</p>

Abstrakt Introduktion: Graviditet är en tid som medför att kvinnornas kroppar omformas. Med ett klart formulerat kvinnoideal medför detta att de gravida kvinnorna evaluerar sin självbild till följd av att förändringen sker i motsats till samhällets utseende trend. Kvinnorna känner sig ful och oattraktiv, likväl får barnets hicka och sparkar i livmodern kvinnorna att känna fascination samt stolthet. Syfte: Syftet med examensarbetet är att belysa hur kvinnor beskriver sin självbild i samband med en graviditet. Metod: Sex kvinnor som var gravid i vecka 28-35 intervjuades med semi-strukturerade öppna frågor. Data har analyserats med inspiration från grundad teori. Resultat: Analysen resulterade i en huvudkategori, fyra kategorier och sexton underkategorier. De gravida kvinnorna har till följd av samhällets ideal en generellt dålig självbild. I takt med kvinnornas fysiska omformning upplevdes självbilden väldigt negativ, kvinnorna försökte aktivt sträva efter en positiv upplevelse genom att använda små hjälpmedel. Magen väcker oönskad uppmärksamhet, grad av uppmärksamhet styrs utifrån magen storlek. Kvinnorna uttryckte ett stort behov av stöd från partner, familj och vänner för att kunna acceptera samt hantera graviditetens påfrestningar. Barnmorskorna erbjöd god medicinsk kunskap men saknade den empatiska förmågan vilken medförde att kvinnorna upplevde sig nonchalerad. Slutsats: De gravida kvinnorna har till följd av samhällets ideal en generellt dålig självbild, utifrån de gravida kvinnornas relation till den egna kroppen, men tack vare små hjälpmedel kunde självbilden accepteras. Stöd från partner och familj var det viktigaste komponenterna som medverkade till en god anpassning till graviditeten. / Abstract Background: A pregnancy forces the female body to change. Today we can identify clearly defined feminine ideal, during the time of pregnancy the body change in the direct opposite direction to societal trends which causes the pregnant women to question their self-image. The pregnancy causes the women to feel ugly and unattractive. However, feeling the baby´s hiccups or kicks make women fascinated and full of pride. Objective: The aim of the present study was to illustrate how women describe their self-image during pregnancy Methods: Semi-structured open-ended interviews were conducted with a total of six women who were pregnant in week 28-35. Data were analyzed inspired of grounded theory. Results: The analysis presented one main code, four categories and sixteen subcategories. Pregnant women have in general a poor self-image as a result of the society's ideal about the female body. Despite the negative feelings towards the body the women actively tried to strive for a positive experience with help of small appliances. The women expressed a greater need for support from their partners, families and friends to accept and cope with the stressful mental strain that the pregnancy creates. The midwives had a good medical knowledge but lacked empathy, which caused the women to feel neglected. Conclusion: The pregnant women had in generally a poorer self-image as a result of the body ideal in society. Acceptance of the pregnant self-image could be accomplished with a good relation to their own body. Also support from partners and families were the main components for a good ability to adapt oneself to pregnancy.

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The changing dynamics in patient care, along with the increasing role of early clinical experiences and community-based teaching models, can be a catalyst in furthering important research and training for clinical teaching excellence. Curricular challenges as well as limited scholarly work generate educational possibilities for study. Embracing a strong educational doctrine of teaching excellence in undergraduate medical education will help shape the future of health care and ultimately enhance patient care. This grounded theory study (a) described and explained descriptions of teaching excellence among first and second year academic and community-based preceptors in the Longitudinal Clinical Experience (LCE) program at the University of South Florida (USF), Morsani College of Medicine and (b) generated theory related to the explanation of the phenomenon of clinical teaching excellence. The single site study drew upon preceptors in the Longitudinal Clinical Experience (LCE) course who were nominated for a teaching excellence award by second, third, and fourth year medical students through a voluntary, online survey. Based on these surveys, 17 academic and 17 community-based preceptors who represented someone who had gone above the student's expectations in providing an exceptional learning experience were nominated. From the list of 34, 13 eligible preceptors were invited to participate in the study and a sample of eight (four academic and four community-based preceptors) were interviewed. The semi-structured, one-hour face-to-face interviews were conducted between April and December 2012 using an interview process. All interviews were located in the preceptor's academic, hospital, or practice setting except one, which took place in the preceptor's private residence. Interview questions were distributed to participants in preparation of the meeting. After obtaining written informed consent by the participants, interviews were tape recorded and lasted an average of 60 minutes. Data analysis was completed using a complimentary, manual and electronic coding method to categorize and develop initial concepts and themes. Data were continuously tested with field notes, observations of the interviews and settings, and thoughts from the researcher's journal, supporting the fluid and constant comparative analysis of grounded theory. The following four thematic categories, supported by preceptors' reflective and reframing practices, emerged from the presentation of data for theory development: (a) preceptors have an awareness of, and adapt to, each student's readiness to learn; (b) preceptors demonstrate an intrinsic commitment to teaching; (c) preceptors create supportive learning environments; and (d) preceptors utilize sound pedagogical practices. As a result of an in-depth, reciprocal analysis from the selected categories and descriptions of clinical teaching excellence, a higher-order construct (theory) was generated, and suggested transforming and implementing adult learning principles and strategies into early clinical education experiences can have a positive influence on medical education and strengthen student learning. Recommendations for practice and future research include (a) utilizing findings in curriculum planning, (b) expanding the study to increase awareness of the value of reflection and reframing in clinical teaching, (c) investigating the impact of clinical teaching excellence on patient care practices, and (d) expanding the study to compare primary care and specialty disciplines. Professional development programs should include designing activities based on preceptors' instructional needs, sound pedagogical practices, and in compliance with continuing medical education requirements.

Addressing the sub-optimal breastfeeding initiation and duration rates has become a national priority. Inadequate support for addressing early breastfeeding challenges is compounded by a lack of collaboration between providers such as lactation professionals, nurses, pediatricians, and the family. The purpose of this exploratory study was to understand International Board Certified Lactation Consultants' (IBCLCs) perceived barriers to managing early breastfeeding problems. This qualitative study was guided by the symbolic interactionist framework through a grounded theory methodological approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with 30 IBCLCs from across Florida. IBCLCs were from a range of practice settings, including hospitals, WIC clinics, private practice, and pediatric offices. Data were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analyzed in Atlas.ti. A range of barriers were identified and grouped into the following categories: indirect barriers such as social norms, knowledge, attitudes; direct occupational barriers such as institutional constraints, lack of coordination, and poor service delivery; and direct individual barriers including social support and mother's self-efficacy. A model was developed to illustrate the factors that influence the role enactment of IBCLCs in terms of managing breastfeeding problems. IBCLCs overwhelmingly wish to be perceived as valued members of a health care team, but often find interprofessional collaboration is a struggle. However, IBCLCs find creative strategies to navigate challenges and describe their role as pivotal in empowering mothers and their families to meet their breastfeeding goals. Though rarely actualized, IBCLCs place strong value on coordinated, team approaches to breastfeeding management that employ transparent communication between providers and focus on empowering and educating mothers. Strategies for better collaboration and communication between IBCLCs and other providers are needed. Findings provide insight into the management issues of early breastfeeding problems and may lead to future interventions to reduce early weaning, thus increasing the lifelong health benefits of breastfeeding to the infant and mother.

Aims: The aim of this research was to engage with the experiences of professionals, parents, and young people in order to develop an understanding of the current diagnosis and management of ADHD. This research will be of interest to Counselling Psychologists working with the child and adolescent population and the clinical area of ADHD. Method: Nine semi- structured interviews were conducted with two young people, three parents, and four professionals. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using the principles’ of grounded theory methods. A constructivist version of grounded theory was implemented, as outlined by Charmaz (2006) and a social constructionist epistemology was adopted. Analysis: A central story line of ‘investing in ADHD’ emerged. This involved the investment of resources in the ‘simple truth’ of ADHD as existing within the child’s brain. A number of categories emerged which contributed to this position, including the ‘battlegrounds’ which were fraught with struggles to gain control of children’s difficult to manage behaviours and ‘knowledge and understanding’ which highlighted the need to understand the nature of the perceived problems. In addition, ‘social expectations’ and ‘personal conflicts’ depicted the social and personal factors which served to construct the perceived problems. Conclusion: The investment in the ‘simple truth’ of ADHD appeared to hold the most meaning for those involved in the study. These findings offer utility for Counselling Psychologists wishing to engage clients in psychological formulation and management approaches which aim to address the underlying factors which influence ADHD.

Objectives: Inclusion of sociopolitical context in therapeutic interventions is under-researched, largely limited to practitioners’ addressing diversity issues in therapy. Relevant studies have shown both trainees and qualified practitioners experience anxiety and discomfort associated with uncertainties about effectively incorporating diversity and sociopolitical context. Although various models exist to aid systematic case conceptualisation incorporating sociopolitical factors, these are not widely used. The majority of relevant literature continues to concentrate on idiosyncratic conceptual models specific to theoretical approaches. This study aimed to discover how qualified practitioners currently conceptualise and incorporate diversity and sociopolitical factors into practice. Design: Given the lack of research available to inform the area, a grounded theory study was conducted as an exploratory exercise. The qualitative approach was adopted to investigate practitioners’ subjective experiences of their current practice. Constructivist assumptions underpinned the approach to the data, leading to use of Charmaz’s (2006) version of the grounded theory approach. Method: Theoretical sampling was used to recruit the 13 participants. Two focus groups and 8 individual interviews were conducted. Analysis: Two models emerged, representing the processes practitioners engaged in to “find a comfortable fit”, and the range of contexts within which the processes took place. Personal and professional dissonance emerged as a central feature of practitioner development. Discussion: The study highlighted the contribution of dissonance and the situated nature of the practitioner as major contributors affecting how sociopolitical issues are conceptualised and addressed in therapy. Further research is needed to clarify how these factors may most usefully contribute to best practice. However, multiple ecological contexts cited as levels of influence add a degree of complexity that will require operationalizing by those wishing to investigate this area in the future.

Educational Psychology / In the field of moral psychology, cognitive functioning has long been the main focus of studies. Many researchers have been interested in moral reasoning ability, its developmental paths, and the process of moral judgment or decision making. Relatively recently, some moral psychologists started questioning whether people who are not theorists, researchers, or educators in morality also put as much emphasis on the cognitive functions as the core of morality. According to the literature, laypeople found to include cognitive aspects as one component of morality, and they also emphasize moral characters and virtues as other elements. In addition, laypeople frequently consider characteristics of ‘a moral person’ when they are asked to think about morality. These findings have activated research on naturalistic conceptions of morality and moral exemplars. However, few studies have examined how laypeople from different cultures other than the United States and Canada conceptualize morality. The purpose of this study was to explore naturalistic conceptions of ‘a moral person’ and to develop a theoretical model of moral exemplars for Koreans based on the gathered conceptions. Twenty two Koreans participated in in-depth, semi-structured, open-ended interviews. A grounded theory approach was used to conduct interviews, analyze data, and achieve the research goals. Korean laypeople’s conceptions included behaviors, personality traits, and psychological functions of ‘a moral person’ for them. In those behaviors and personality traits, both interpersonal (e.g., helping others or caring) and intrapersonal (e.g., living with integrity or being principled) characteristics were found together. Koreans conceptualize a person as moral when he or she tends to behave morally as an outer revelation of inner morality, personality traits. Using psychological functions (e.g., perspective taking, being compassionate, or keeping social face) appeared to promote the emergence of a moral behavior or make the behavior extraordinary. Finally, Koreans found to think of a person as moral who does moral behaviors even in challenging situations, assuming that his or her moral personality traits are strongly associated with the behaviors. In addition, Koreans tend to more emphasize interpersonal (i.e., other-oriented or community-based) aspects of morality than intrapersonal (i.e., self-centered or individual-based) components. These findings were summarized that ‘a moral person’ for Koreans is a person who has ‘moral heart’ and lives ‘in harmony with others.’ / text

Asperger’s was eliminated as a distinct diagnosis in the DSM-5. While controversy lingers over the assimilation of Asperger’s into autism spectrum disorder, my study explores the experience of stigma through interviews with four adults with Asperger’s and two with high functioning autism. I examine the phenomenology of autistic stigma, stigma management, and how stigma is impacted by diagnosis. The results provide an understanding of stigma as it is experienced by individuals who, in the words of one participant, suffer from a “relationship disability.” The term ASHFA evolves during the write-up to become more than an acronym for Asperger’s/high functioning autism; it comes to represent a way of being present in the world that transcends diagnosis. A relational methodology derived from Gadamer’s hermeneutics and Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology provides a philosophical framework for the project and also guides ethical engagement during the study. Methods used in the data analysis are drawn from constructivist grounded theory. The report itself may contain clues into ASHFA because I, the organizing participant, am also diagnosed with Asperger’s. I attempt to make sense of the paradoxical conclusion that diagnosis can provide a therapeutic explanation for autistic difference even as medicalization disempowers us as a validating narrative / Graduate / 0452 / 0422 / canadagates@gmail.com