Early childhood practitioners, including speech-language pathologists (SLPs), frequently provide home practice to children and families. For children with speech sound disorder (SSD), who comprise a large proportion of SLPs’ caseloads worldwide, completing home practice can increase the amount of intervention received and improve outcomes. However, little is known about parents’ experiences of completing this home practice. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore parents’ experiences of completing home practice for children with SSD. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six parents. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze data and identify four themes: evolution over time, different roles, importance, and managing the practicalities of home practice. The findings speak to the complexities of this experience for families and the need for practitioners to collaborate with families when providing home practice. These findings have implications for the home practice that early intervention practitioners provide to children and families.

With an increasing migrant population there is a growing need to organize interpreting practices in healthcare in order to deliver equitable high-quality care. This thesis focuses on healthcare institutions’ organization of interpreting services. The aim of the study was to explore interpreting practices in a healthcare context by comparing two different healthcare areas – elderly and emergency healthcare. The study aimed to highlight the impact of the organizational and institutional context. This study was designed as an explorative and descriptive qualitative study including 79 healthcare professionals with experience of interpreting practices recruited via purposeful sampling in elderly and emergency healthcare. Data were collected through individual and focus-group interviews and analysed with inductive qualitative content analysis. The main findings show that the processes and structures around interpreting practices were complex and mainly linked to individual and interpersonal levels and, to a limited extent, to the institutional level. On the institutional level the Public Procurement Act was the only formal policy to follow. On individual and interpersonal level interpreting practices were structured by self-established informal workplace routines developed by the professional groups. The norms and routines used was determined by access to interpreters, time aspects, characteristics of the care given, health conditions and the person’s problem, expectations and requests from the person and also from healthcare professionals. There were wishes for improvement, with better flexibility in access to professional interpreters, training for users and interpreters, and also better technical solutions and equipment. In conclusion, the use of interpreters was rooted in the organizational environment of interpreting practice, including the availability of laws, policy and guidelines, and closely related to individuals’ language skills, cultural values and social factors. The use of professional interpreters was based on the nature of care in context and access to interpreters and determined by health professionals’ estimation of the person’s current health status in order to deliver fast and individualized care based on humanistic values. Thus, it is important to consider organizational framework and cultural awareness when formulating interpreting practices adapted to the context, and formal guidelines in order to achieve the aim of personcentered and equal health care.

<p>Children with autism typically present with sensory processing difficulties that affect their ability to relate to people. This qualitative study focused on exploring the sensory processing of children with autism and their mothers, using a frame of reference of sensory integration theory. The purpose of the study was to help mothers gain knowledge and understanding into their own sensory processing so that they could develop a better understanding of their child&rsquo / s sensory processing in order to facilitate better mother-child relationships. An evaluation tool, the Sensory Profiles by Dunn (1999) and the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile by Brown &amp / Dunn (2002) was used as the instrument for gathering information on sensory processing. The population consisted of ten sets of mothers and their children with autism who attend Vera School for Learners with Autism. The Sensory&nbsp / rofiles was completed to investigate the phenomenological issues regarding the sensory modulation aspects of the parent-child relationship. Each mother received individual feedback on their own and their child&rsquo / s sensory processing. Two focus groups were then conducted with the mothers to determine the value of the information gained from the&nbsp / rofiles. Data consisted of two audio taped feedback from the focus group. Data was analysed for emerging themes. The three major themes that emerged were, (a) You realize&nbsp / ow similar you are to your child, (b) I also have needs (c) They walk away and leave you with this wreck of a child. The findings of the study suggest that an understanding of&nbsp / ensory processing can influence the mother-child relationship positively.</p>

L'anàlisi qualitatiu ha estat sempre molt important en el control antidopatge i constitueix cada cop més una part molt significativa de l'activitat diària d'altres tipus de laboratoris. Tanmateix, no existeixen guies o documents específics per ajudar els laboratoris a implantar sistemes de qualitat quan es disposa d'aquest tipus de mètodes. L'objectiu general d'aquesta tesi ha estat el desenvolupament de les eines necessàries per assegurar la qualitat i fiabilitat dels resultats produïts per mètodes d'anàlisi qualitatius, treballant en tres aspectes fonamentals per a l'assegurament de la qualitat dels resultats als laboratoris d'anàlisi: la validació de mètodes, el control intern de la qualitat, i els exercicis d'intercomparació.S'ha elaborat un protocol de validació, s'ha implantat un sistema de control intern de la qualitat per a mètodes d'anàlisi qualitatius i, finalment, s'han elaborat protocols per a la preparació de mostres que seran utilitzades com a materials d'assaig en exercicis d'intercomparació o com a materials de referència, i per realitzar estudis d'homogeneïtat i d'estabilitat, que han estat aplicats a l'estudi de l'estabilitat de substàncies d'interès en control antidopatge. / Qualitative analysis has been very important in antidoping control and its becoming a significant part of the daily activity of other type of laboratories. However, there is a lack of guidance or specific documents to help laboratories to implement quality assurance systems when using these type of methods. The aim of this thesis has been the development of the necessary tools to ensure the quality and reliability of results released by qualitative analytical methods, working in the three main aspects of quality assurance in the analytical laboratory: method validation, internal quality control and intercomparison exercises.A protocol for method validation has been proposed and an internal quality control system for qualitative methodologies has been established. Finally, protocols for the preparation of samples to be used in intercomparison exercises or as reference materials, including homogeneity and stability studies, have been prepared. These protocols have been applied to study the stability of substances with especial interest in antiodoping control.

During this unique moment of feminist inquiry wherein breastfeeding has been a focal point of interdisciplinary research, little sociological scholarship has been presented which has centered on the various meanings that African American mothers, as a diverse group, attach to their experiences with breastfeeding and/or infant formula use. While patterns of behavior have been explored in a cross-racial context, most social science studies have not focused on how the choice between breastfeeding, using infant formula, or using a combination of the two has impacted (or has been shaped by) African American mothers’ constructs of self, motherhood/mothering, their birth experiences, and their sexuality. In order to understand the interplay of the decision-making process and these constructs, I conducted a qualitative study in which I participated in face-to-face interviews with a diverse group of thirty African-American mothers. They ranged in age from 18 years-old to 50-years-old. At the time of her interview, each mother had at least one child who was three-years-old or younger. Through our discussions, we explored how pre-pregnancy perceptions, lived experiences as a mother, familial influences, and the discourses surrounding motherhood within an African-American context affected the perceptions and experiences that the mothers in the study had with their infant feeding practice(s). Findings suggest that while African Americans mothers know that “breast is best,” that knowledge is not the only reason for their decisions. The first step in understanding why African-American mothers choose the feeding method(s) that they choose is embracing the reality that choosing is an ongoing and dynamic process which is often informed by what she does versus “is supposed to do” versus how she is portrayed weighed with the consequences of her choice(s) for herself and her family. Further, African American mothers are in the active process of negotiating an evolving definition of themselves within this post-Civil Rights, Affirmative Action context wherein choices appear abundant, but the choosing always comes with a price.

In an accelerating Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) environment, academic libraries’ catalogs have always been part of students’ and faculty members journey of resources discovery. The master thesis intents to focus its interest in Information Systems (IS) ground related to the implementation of a new search engine at the University of Piraeus Library. The Library wants to change the search features of its traditional online services and to implement a new discover tool with Web 2.0 characteristics. The aim of this master thesis is to investigate users’ views and desires interest according to their scholarly needs and expectations about VuFind in order to facilitate the Library to customize the integration. Therefore, critical systems theory will be employed for “therapeutic” reasons to enlighten the Library’s users about their current situation. Qualitative analysis is expected to recognize discrimination against traditional Library’s search engines. Qualitative data of the user impression and reaction when operate with the VuFind interface will lead to recommendations for enhancement and improvements. Findings will assist implementers to modify the discovery layer by meeting users’ needs of the academia community. The research will collect data through qualitative method on how participants operate with the VuFind search engine merging librarians’ professional views and users’ expectations and propositions. Participatory Design (PD) will be built upon Future Workshop method.

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) är en metodik som kan användas vid problemlösning för att gå till botten av en problemsituation och lösa ut de grundläggande orsakerna bakom problematiken. Problemet med RCA är att denna metod har främst undersökts och använts i sammanhang då ett problem med fysisk händelse, ett praktiskt symptom, har inträffat. En enligt studenterna förbisedd del av denna forskning berör problem där symptomet inte kan kopplas till en fysisk händelse – ett administrativt symptom. Syftet med denna studie är att tillämpa RCA på ett problem med administrativt symptom för att sedan ställa detta resultat i relation till andra studier med praktiska respektive administrativa symptom. Därefter gör studenterna bedömningen huruvida RCA är en lämplig metodik vid tillämpningen av ett administrativt symptom eller inte.   Denna studie har genomförts på Volvo Cars Body Components (VCBC) i Olofström där det undersökta problemet med administrativt symptom har varit VCBCs materialdifferenser på produktionsmaterialet plåt. Utifrån denna studie framkom sex rotorsaker bakom VCBCs problematik, vilka alla oberoende av varandra gav upphov till problematiken. Denna trend kunde uppvisas i annan studie med administrativt symptom, men kunde inte uppvisas i någon studie då ett praktiskt symptom studerats. En slutsats av denna studie visar på att skillnaden mellan ett problem med ett praktiskt respektive administrativt symptom ligger i själva ursprunget till den grundläggande rotorsaken. I fall med praktiska symptom kan denna direkt hänvisas till en mänsklig faktor som ursprung till problematiken, en trend som inte framgår i de fall då ett administrativt symptom undersökts. Det är också studenternas slutsats att RCA är en lämplig metodik att använda vid problem med administrativa symptom. / Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a method that can be used in problem solving to get to the bottom of a problem situation and solving the root causes behind the problems. The problem of RCA is that this method has mainly been studied and used in contexts where a problem with the physical event, a practical symptom occurred. According to the students, an overlooked part of this research addresses problems where the symptom cannot be linked to a natural event – an administrative symptom. The purpose of this study is to apply RCA to a problem with an administrative symptom in order to then set the result in relation to other studies with practical and administrative symptoms. Thereafter the students will do the assessment whether RCA is a suitable methodology to apply on an administrative symptom or not.   This study was conducted at Volvo Cars Body Components (VCBC) in Olofström where the investigated problem with an administrative symptom has been VCBCs material differences in the production material sheet. Based on this study six root causes were revealed to be behind VCBCs problems, where all, independent of each other, gave rise to problem. This trend could be presented in another study with administrative symptom, but could not be produced in any study where a practical symptoms was studied. One conclusion of this study show that the difference between a problem with a practical respectively administrative symptom lies in the very origin of the fundamental root cause. In cases of practical symptoms, this may actually refer to a human factor as the origin of the problem, a trend which is not clear in cases where an administrative symptom is investigated. It is also the student's conclusion that RCA is an appropriate methodology to use in case of problems with the administrative symptoms

Au début de l’adolescence, on observe une diminution marquée du niveau de pratique d’activité physique (PAP). Les pairs ont été identifiés comme des déterminants importants de la PAP à cette période de la vie. Notre étude explore le rôle des dynamiques sociales entre les pairs dans les perceptions de la PAP d’adolescents Québécois. Des entretiens semi-directifs ont été réalisés auprès de 12 garçons et 10 filles, âgés entre 12 et 14 ans, issus de trois écoles aux profils socioéconomiques, géographiques (urbain, de banlieue et rural) et ethniques différents. Le guide d’entretien abordait les thèmes de l’amitié, des railleries, des émotions et des interactions sociales vécues dans différents contextes de PAP. Une analyse descriptive des entretiens a été effectuée afin d’identifier les éléments des dynamiques sociales susceptibles d’influencer les perceptions de la PAP dans différents contextes. L’environnement social des cours d’éducation physique (compétences physiques variées, mixité, valorisation de la compétition) semble favoriser des relations inégales et des rapports de pouvoir entre les jeunes. Les perceptions des adolescents concernant ce contexte de pratique sont souvent négatives. Les perceptions favorables à l’activité physique sont plutôt liées à des contextes de pratique que l’on retrouve à l’extérieur du milieu scolaire et où l’environnement social semble favoriser l’émergence de relations d’égal à égal (compétences physiques similaires, groupes de pairs du même sexe). Les résultats de cette étude peuvent guider les intervenants dans la mise en place de conditions d’intervention qui pourront favoriser la pratique d’activité physique. / The early adolescent years mark an important drop in physical activity participation. Peers have frequently been identified as important social determinants of physical activity involvement (PAI) during this period of youth’s lives. This study explores the influence of adolescent peers’ social dynamics on perceptions related to PAI. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews which were conducted with 12 to 14 year old boys (n = 12) and girls (n = 10) attending schools of three different locations (urban, suburban and rural), socioeconomic statuses, and ethnic compositions. The interview guide broached topics such as friendship, teasing, emotions and social interactions relating to PAI. The analysis of participants’ accounts focused on the description of social interactions as they relate to physical activity in different settings. On one hand, coeducational school settings appear to promote the emergence of power relationships based on performance norms and to foster negative perceptions associated with physical activity. On the other hand, physical activity conducted outside of school with same sex peers who have similar abilities seem to promote relationships based on equality amongst adolescents and positive perceptions about physical activity. These results may provide guidance for professionals aiming to present youth with social environments which promote PAI.

Background and aim: In society there is a growing awareness that a vital factor for patientswith chronic diseases, such as head and neck cancer (HNC), is how well they are able to function in their every day lives – a common, but often overlooked, public health issue. The overall aim of this thesis is to reach a deeper understanding of living with HNC and to identify the experiences that patients felt promoted their health and well-being. It also explores the patients' experiences of contact and care from health professionals and whether these encounters could increase their feelings of health and well-being; salutogenic approach. Methods: This thesis engages a qualitative data design. On three occasions, 35 purposivelyselected patients were interviewed (31 from Sweden and one from Denmark, Finland, Island, and Norway). The first study was conducted in the Nordic counties (I), and the remainingstudies were conducted in Sweden (II, III, IV). Interviews were performed on a single basis(I, II, III) and then repeated (IV). The individual, semi-structured qualitative interviews usedopen-ended questions (n=53). Three different forms of analyses were used: critical incident technique (I), thematic content analysis (II), latent content analysis (III), and interpretativedescriptive analysis (paper IV). Findings: Living with head and neck cancer was expressed as living in captivity, in the sensethat patients' sometimes life-threatening symptoms were constant reminders of the disease. The patients experienced a threat against identity and existence. Patients struggled to find power and control over everyday life, and if successful this appeared to offer them better health and well-being along with spiritual growth. The general understanding was that these patients had strong beliefs in the future despite living on a virtual rollercoaster. The patients went through a process of interplay of internal and external enabling that helped them acquire strength and feelings of better health and well-being. Consequently, they found power and control from inner strength and other health resources, e.g. social networks, nature, hobbies, activity, and health professionals. However, the findings also revealed the opposite; that some patients were more vulnerable and felt powerless and faced everyday life with emotional and existential loneliness. They were dependent on next of kin and health professionals. Having good interpersonal relationships and emotional support 24 hours a day from next of kin were crucial, as were health promoting contacts and care from health professionals. This health promoting contact and care built on working relationships with competent health professionals that were available, engaged, respectful, validating, and, above all experienced in the treatment phase. But many patients experienced not health promoting contact and care – and a sense of not being respected, or even believed. Added were the patients' experiences of inadequate coordination between phases of their lengthy illness trajectory. They felt lost and abandoned by health services, especially before and after treatment. Conclusions: Inner strength, good relationships with next of kin, nature, hobbies, andactivities could create strength and a sense of better health and well-being. Patients experienced a mutual working relationship during dialoguing and sensed co-operation and equality in encounters with competent health professionals. This could lead to enhanced power and control i.e. empowerment in a patient's everyday life. The findings highlight psychosocial rehabilitation in a patient-centred organisation when health professionals supportpatients' inner strength and health resources , and also offer long-term support to next of kin.Finally, this research suggests that if health professionals could gain a deeper understanding of the psychosocial, existential, social, and economic questions on patients' minds, they could better sense how patients feel and would be better equipped not only to offer greater support, but to raise their voices to improve health policy and health care for these patients. / Syfte och bakgrund: Avhandlingens övergripande syfte var att få en djupare förståelse för personer med huvud – halscancer vardagsliv samt vad som främjar deras hälsa och välbefinnande d v s ett salutogent synsätt. Kroniska sjukdomstillstånd såsom cancer räknas numera till de stora folksjukdomarna och vid huvud – halscancer är vikten av ett fungerande vardagsliv emellertid ett ofta förbisett folkhälsoproblem. Metod: Avhandlingen omfattar fyra delarbeten baserade på kvalitativa data. Resultaten baseras på semistrukturerade individuella intervjuer (n=53) som riktades till 35 utvalda personer. Den första studien (I) genomfördes i Danmark, Finland, Island, Norge och Sverige och de övriga i Sverige (II, III, IV). Intervjuerna genomfördes vid ett tillfälle (I, II, III) och vid upprepade tillfälle (IV). Tre olika textanalyser användes, kritisk händelse teknik (I), tematisk innehålls analys (II), latent innehållsanalys (III) och tolkande beskrivande analys (IV). Resultat: Att leva med huvud - halscancer beskrevs som ett liv i fångenskap och upplevdes som att åka i berg och dalbana mellan hopp och förtvivlan. De ofta livshotande symtomen påminde ständigt om sjukdomen och upplevdes som hot både mot existensen och mot identiteten. Detta till trots kom ibland en stark optimism och tro på framtiden till uttryck. Några av de intervjuades vardagsliv präglades dock av känslomässig och existentiell ensamhet och upplevelser av sårbarhet och maktlöshet. Att ha makt och kontroll över den egna livssituationen liksom närståendes känslomässiga stöd, ibland dygnet runt, främjade hälsan. Hälsofrämjande kontakter med vårdpersonalen upplevdes främst under sjukhusvistelsen. Avgörande var en god och bekräftande patient vårdar relation samt att personalen hade hög kompetens och visade engagemang och respekt i vårdsituationen. Flera av de intervjuade beskrev dock allvarliga brister i kontakten med sjukvården. Upplevelser av brist på respekt och att inte bli trodd i sin sjukdomsupplevelse beskrevs, vilket vanligast i perioderna före och efter sjukhusvistelsen. Samordningen mellan hälso- och sjukvårdens olika funktioner upplevdes som bristfällig under hela sjukdomsförloppet. Konklusion: Inre styrka, goda relationer med närstående, nära kontakt med naturen, hobbyer och andra aktiviteter skapade upplevelser av hälsa och välbefinnande hos personer med huvud - halscancer. I dialog med kompetent vårdpersonal, där samverkan och jämlikhet var tydlig, upplevdes ömsesidiga, vänliga relationer som en hjälp för dem att få ökad egenmakt och kontroll i vardagslivet. Resultatet visar på patienternas långvariga kamp med ett vardagsliv med ständig känslomässig, psykosocial, existentiell, social och ekonomisk oro. Resultatet pekar också på en brist på patientcentrerad organisation och psykosocial rehabilitering, där vårdpersonal stödjer patienters inre styrka och hälsoresurser. Förhoppningen är att resultatet kan leda till en ökad förståelse hos vårdpersonal för hur vardagslivet kan upplevas då man har en huvud- hals cancer, för att på så vis ge adekvat hjälp till dessa patienter och deras närstående.

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