In the last few years, approximately 40 000 of unaccompanied children, mainly boys, have arrived in Sweden. Initially, these minors were placed into residential care units (HVB). Media has suggested that these adolescents, have difficulties associated to poor mental health. Earlier research concerning the mental state of these minors, indicates a high prevalence of PTSD. This motivated the aim of this study: to explore the professionals’ understanding of support and the form of housing that accommodates these minors, related to poor mental health. An interpretive approach was chosen with attachment theory and Goffmans’ theory regarding institutional life, as theoretical bedrocks and six qualitative semi- structured interviews formed the basis for the result. Four central themes were discovered through content data analysis. The themes indicated that the boys are under pressure and experiencing stress which is a recurrent experience for some authorities and health care units, responsible for supporting these adolescents. However, the personal support from individuals, demonstrates a commitment that likely has a positive impact on these boys life. While the form of housing may have a harmful effect, it could also be cultural differences combined with PTSD affecting the emotional state of unaccompanied children living in Sweden.

Emotionally Focused Therapy has been shown to produce statistically significant and sustainable change in couples (Wiebe, Johnson, Lafontaine, Burgess Moser, Dalgleish, & Tasca, 2017). This change has also been shown to extend to the family system through the use of Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (Stavrianopoulos, Faller, & Furrow, 2014). The methodology focuses on developing resilience through the co-regulation of the family system by developing secure attachment bonds (Wiebe & Johnson, 2017). EFFT strives to develop a high level of security within families that promotes more fluid communication patterns and more flexible problem solving strategies (Johnson & Lee, 2005). One of the most important steps in developing this security is by clarifying the current interactional cycles taking place, which typically leave the attachment needs of the family unmet (Johnson & Brubacher, 2016). Clinicians who help clients track their interactional cycles lay the foundation for effective change.

In recent years, a large number of refugees have migrated to many different countries. The migrations are due to conflicts, war and poverty: Migrants are leaving their homes in search of more peaceful havens. Sweden has been one of the countries receiving the largest number of refugees in Europe. As a consequence, the arrival of refugees has an impact on the country’s ability to adapt to serve the refugees’ needs. This study focuses on refugee children, who can be highly affected by their past traumatic experiences and different resettlement processes. The research studies the importance of building meaningful relationships for refugee children in the preschool, in order to encourage and facilitate their development. In this research, the term “meaningful relationship” is understood as a healthy relationship with someone that shows care, support and encourages individual growth. The study is based in attachment theory, which describes the children’s natural need to seek adult’s support, security and trust. This theory explains how strong relationships and support, encourages children’s development and well-being. In this research study, the different relationships studied are: the ones between the educators and the refugee children; between educators and refugee children’s parents; between refugee children with the rest of the children in the preschool. This was accomplished through semi-structured interviews with four educators in different Swedish preschools, exploring their practices and experiences with newly arrived refugee children. Findings show educators’ perspectives considering the different aspects of pedagogy to address in order to promote the creation of more meaningful relationships in all three of these diads. These aspects of pedagogy that affect in the creation of more meaningful relationships are: introduction weeks, the preschool environment, the language barriers and addressing refugees’ past experiences. The study provides different methods and strategies shared by the educators that are applicable to preschools’ daily practices, as a means of facilitating refugee children’s childhood and development.

Attachment theory states that emotion regulation is one of the central features of attachment system. The current study adopted an attachment perspective to investigate how mother-child attachment at 36 months and teacher-child relationships at 54 months influence children’s emotion regulation in 3rd grade, and whether teacher-child relationships moderate the associations between mother-child attachment and children’s emotion regulation. Longitudinal data from the first three phases of the National Institute of Child Health and Human development Early Child Care Research Network of Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (NICHD SECCYD) were used in the study. The results showed that the association of teacher-child conflict and child’s negative engagement with peers was statistically significant. Additionally, teacher-child relationships significantly moderated the impacts of mother-child attachment on children’s emotion regulation. Specifically, the relationship between teacher-child conflict and negative engagement with peers for children with secure attachment and for those with disorganized attachment were in opposite directions. The relationship between teacher-child closeness and negative engagement with peers was significant for children with disorganized attachment, but not for children with secure attachment. And, the results showed that the levels of conflict in teacher-child relationships for children with ambivalent and with disorganized attachment were statistically different from those for children with secure attachment. The present study fills in the research gap with regard to the effects of teacher-child relationships on children’s emotion regulation. It also suggests that children’s experiences of positive teacher-child relationships may compensate for the negative impacts of insecure early mother-child attachment patterns on emotion regulation development.

Empirical research suggests that married women may more commonly experience spousal pornography use as a relational attachment threat and are more likely to experience negatively associated relational outcomes such as distress and loss of trust. The purpose of this study was to develop a grounded theory of women’s response to concealed spousal pornography use. This study included the experiences of 30 women who reported spousal pornography use as a threat to relational attachment and demonstrated evidence of individual and relational healing thereafter. The research question, “How do women describe the experience of learning of their spouse’s pornography use and the individual and relationship sequelae that follow?” was explored using grounded theory methods to analyze de-identified blog accounts emphasizing response to a spouse viewing pornography in marital relationships. The results describe a process model highlighting three interrelated informant categories— emotional response, mental response, and physical response—and one resultant category—behavioral response. Implications include the importance of open communication regarding pornography use within relationships, the necessity for individual and relational healing following betrayal trauma, and the role of therapeutic intervention in shaping adaptive healing processes.

The purpose of this study is to conduct a psychometric investigation of the Attachment to God Inventory (AGI; Beck & McDonald, 2004) using a national sample of socioeconomically and religiously diverse young adults commonly referred to as millennials (i.e., persons born between 1980 and 1996; Pew Research Center, 2018). Confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) results failed to yield satisfactory fit for the AGI model using the entire sample and a Christian-only subsample. Alternative model specifications that accounted for method factors, higher-order factors, and bi-factors also failed. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) suggested alternative factor solutions that were cross-validated using CFA. Support for an orthogonal, 2-factor, 8-item model possessed excellent model fit (χ²(20) = 172.186; RMSEA = .051 [.044–.058]; CFI/TLI = .955/.993). Configural, metric, and scale measurement invariance were supported based on gender- and ethnic-identity considerations; however, invariance was not supported based upon religious affiliation. The resulting model consisted of two constructs that were labeled divine rejection (McDonald’s ω = .838 [95% CI: .827–.849]) and divine dependence (McDonald’s ω = .862 [95% CI: .852–.872]) and were found to be invariant only for individuals who identified as Christian. Latent profile analysis (LPA) of the standardized scores of the two factors yielded a five-class solution whose classes were labeled intrinsic, independent, everyday, strained, and detached believers. Class membership was found to be most associated with divine rejection. Rather than considering the resulting model to be an improved model based on attachment to God theory, this study concludes that the resulting model is most consistent with social comparison theory. Several hypotheses and recommendations for future research are made.

Att använda människor som varumärken är ett växande marknadsföringsfenomen som har fått benämningen human brand. I dag går det bland annat att hitta detta fenomen i musikbranschen där artister ses som varumärken för sin musik. Tidigare forskning visar att användning av human brand som marknadsföringsstrategi kan stärka relationen mellan konsumenter och kändisar. Att använda människor som varumärken är inte ett nytt koncept inom marknadsföring. Däremot menar forskning att begreppet human brand är relativt nytt och att det saknas kompletta ramverk och teorier inom området. Syftet med denna studie är att få en större förståelse för hur processen av varumärkesbyggande för ett human brand går till inom musikbranschen. Syftet är även att få förståelse för vilka komponenter som är viktiga, vilka aktörer som är delaktiga i processen samt vilka för- och nackdelar det finns med att använda human brand som marknadsföringsstrategi.  De valda teorierna för studien är stakeholder theory, attachment theory, brand authenticity, celebrity brand authenticity samt self-determinations theory. Studien utgår från en kvalitativ metod där semistrukturerade intervjuer med artister, marknadsförare och managers samt en fokusgrupp med konsumenter genomfördes. Resultatet visar att en av de största faktorerna till att artister lyckas med personal branding processen är genom tydliga mål och visioner av vad de vill åstadkomma. Utan detta är det svårt för marknadsförare och managers att utföra sitt jobb då det inte finns något att sträva mot. Planeringsfasen är även det en viktig faktor i processen att utveckla ett human brand. I denna fas ingår profilering och paketering, kontinuitet samt att skapa och upprätthålla en röd tråd i artisten karriär, detta för att uppfattas som äkta hos allmänheten. Studien visar att det är viktigt, både för artisten men även för konsumenter och fans att artisten är sann mot sig själv.  Resultatet visar att flera aktörer är viktiga för artisten och processen att bli ett human brand. Studien visar även på att det saknas en aktör som ser till artisten fysiska och psykiska hälsa, samt att det finns både för- och nackdelar med att använda human brand som marknadsföringsstrategi. / Using humans as brands is a growing marketing phenomena called human brand, that can be seen in the music industry where musicians have become their own brand for their music. Studies have shown that using human brands can result in a stronger relationship between the celebrity and consumers. Although using humans as brands is not a new concept in marketing, studies regarding human brands is a relatively new phenomenon that is still lacking a complete framework and theories. This study seeks to find a deeper understanding of how a musician becomes a human brand, which stakeholders are vital and what are the pros and cons of using the marketing tool human brand.  The chosen theories for the study are stakeholder theory, attachment theory, brand authenticity, celebrity brand authenticity and self-determinations theory. The selected method for the study is a qualitative research method with semi-structured interviews with musicians, marketers and managers and one focus grupp with consumers and fans. The result of the study shows that one of the biggest factors for succeeding as a musician is to have clear goals and visions of what they want to achieve. Without it, it is nearly impossible for marketers and managers to do their work. What is also found to be of great importance is the planning phase which involves profiling and packaging, continuity and maintaining a red thread through the musicians career and authenticity. The study shows that being true to oneself is an important aspect for the musician as well as to the consumers and fans.  Results show that there are numerous stakeholders that are vital for the process of becoming a human brand as a musician. The study also found a non existing stakeholder that the respondents would like to see in the future, that is an individual who only sees to the physical and psychological well-being of the musician. Furthermore the study showed that there are both pros and cons regarding using human brands as a marketing tool.

This narrative inquiry study collected stories from parents and teachers to build a deep understanding of the lived experiences of raising or teaching children affected by traumatic grief. Research shows that children who experience adversity or loss as trauma, including childhood traumatic grief, may experience long- term disruptions to executive functions and present learning, behavioural and social challenges within school settings. Current research indicates that the adoption of trauma-informed care practices within schools can successfully support students who have experienced trauma and/or childhood traumatic grief. In particular, the development of strong family-school collaboration, understood recently as a form of working alliance, is key in effectively supporting students experiencing mental health issues, including childhood traumatic grief. Using a narrative inquiry approach, this study shares the stories of three women, a mother, a teacher by profession, and a mother who is a teacher by profession, to develop deep understanding of what is being experienced in supporting children affected by childhood traumatic stress and grief. The findings from this study affirmed the need for increased understanding and awareness of the ways that trauma can impact the education of children affected by trauma. The findings also confirmed that insecure attachments can be mitigated with consistent and attuned care. To do this effectively as educators, there is need for increased resources and supports within the schools. This study confirmed the need for increased collaboration to develop strong relationships between students, parents and teachers. The need for collaboration is essential for the successful support of students struggling with the affects of trauma and these findings affirm current conversations on the importance of trauma-informed approaches, relational schools and working alliances.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Educational neuroscience (EN) is a transdisciplinary convergence of neurosciences, education, and psychology that has gained international momentum. Its purpose is to advance the application of neurosciences in P-12 education as a way to improve the design of instructional environments and practices that support the multidimensional social, affective, and cognitive learning needs of students. The potential integration of EN practices into school settings affects educators and school social workers who promote positive school climates and address barriers to learning. Despite the ascension of scholarly discourse proposing the integration of neuroscience knowledge with education practices, a shared conceptual framework remains elusive for the emergent discipline, and the translation of EN into education practices is unexamined. A constructivist grounded theory study was conducted to investigate the emerging conceptualization of EN practices and implications for promoting a positive classroom climate. Data collection included semi-structured interviews with two administrators, three teachers, and 48 students as well as four classroom observations from three different fourth and fifth grade classrooms in a US Midwest city. The data analyses generated a conceptual model that revealed how EN practices unfolded in the classroom to facilitate the co-creation of a positive classroom climate. The data indicated that a humanistic organizational structure facilitated the EN practice implementation, and the teacher’s regulatory state was central to the application process. Five themes emerged that characterized EN practices: teaching neuroanatomy, reflecting on emotions, selfregulating, adapting classroom boundaries, and honoring the whole student. Interactions resulting from these practices aligned with four established climate dimensions: teaching and learning, structure of the learning environment, safety, and relationships. The resulting classroom climate contributed to students’ resiliency, as observed by reduced office referrals, readiness to learn, empowered decision-making, greater empathy, and enhanced social connectedness. Findings from this study support a conceptual model for the application of EN practices in elementary classrooms and align with existing research that suggests positive climates promote healthy development, social-emotional learning, and academic success. The results of this study will inform future translational EN inquiry as well as educators and school social workers who seek to co-create positive classroom climates using transdisciplinary EN practices.

No description available.