My narrative case study focuses on how one family uses the exhibitions and educational resources at the Denver Art Museum. I gathered stories of the family’s experiences at the museum in order to determine what their choices reflected about their family values and how they integrated those experiences into their daily lives. This study draws upon socio-cultural and constructivist learning theories by proposing that each family member contributes their prior knowledge and life experiences to the process of making meaning and drawing connections within the art museum. Moreover, even though the family acted as a social learning group, each member constructed personal knowledge in different ways from their shared experiences. I used narrative analysis and coding as means to interpret the meanings of the family’s stories. In addition to identifying the family’s values regarding art museum learning, findings pointed to the imperative need for museum educators to address preparing adult learning partners for visits to art museums with children. The lack of current research pertaining to family learning in art museums was a chief motivator for conducting this study (Sterry & Beaumont, 2006). Research of family interactions in museums has largely focused on non-art museums (Borun, 2002; Borun et al., 1998; Ellenbogen, Luke, & Dierking, 2007). Family art museum experiences are distinct and should be studied separately from those in other types of museums. Research, such as this study, that look specifically at how families use art museum exhibitions and educational resources will address the lack of literature and emphasize the value of art museum experiences for life-long family learning. / text

Background: Differential relationships of the dimensions of psychopathy with external factors indicate that psychopathy can be conceptualised as a multifaceted syndrome comprised of distinct subgroups of psychopaths (Blackburn, 1988). However, it is not known whether similar subtypes of psychopathy exist across cultures. The research question which this thesis sought to answer was: Do subtypes of psychopathy exist among murderers, and if so, might the prevalence of these subtypes differ across cultures? Three aims were addressed: i) to compare the trauma histories, dissociative experiences and psychopathic features of British and South African men convicted of murder and the associations among them; ii) to test potential aetiological models of psychopathy; and iii) to explore whether subtypes of psychopathy could be identified among men convicted of murder. Method: Participants were 120 adult male prisoners serving sentences for murder. Sixty participants were British and incarcerated in prisons in England and 60 participants were South African and incarcerated in South Africa. Trauma, dissociation and psychopathy were measured using the Trauma History Questionnaire (THQ; Green, 1996), the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES; Carlson & Putnam, 1993) and the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised Second Edition (PCL-R; Hare, 2003a), respectively. Results: South African participants reported significantly more traumatic and dissociative experiences and possessed more psychopathic features than their British counterparts. Structural equation modelling (SEM) analyses of the entire sample revealed that trauma was positively and directly related to the behavioural features of psychopathy, whereas trauma was positively and indirectly related to the affective features of psychopathy via the partial mediating role of dissociation, suggesting that subtypes of psychopathy may exist among murderers. In addition, cluster analyses identified subtypes of psychopathy, two of which parallel variants of primary and secondary psychopathy described in the literature. Conclusions: Dissociation may mediate the relationship between trauma and psychopathy among individuals who have experienced high levels of trauma, suggesting that there may be a threshold or a ‘cut-off’ level at which witnessing or experiencing trauma becomes detrimental for one’s psychological health. The prevalence of certain subtypes of psychopathy may differ across cultures. Findings have theoretical implications as well as implications for the treatment and risk assessment of offenders.

Kommunikation, lärande och sociala relationer är tre grundstenar som ingår i begreppet delaktighet. Möjligheten att få ta del i sin omvårdnad kan påverka vården på ett sätt som är mer gynnsamt för patienten. I omvårdnaden är begreppet KASAM kärnan. Syftet med studien var att genom en litteraturstudie beskriva patienters upplevelser av delaktighet inom slutenvård utifrån KASAM:s komponenter efter att ha varit inskriven på en vårdavdelning. Syftet var även att granska urvalsmetod samt dataanalys i de vetenskapliga artiklar som studerades. En beskrivande användes för att svara på syftet. Artiklarna söktes på ett systematiskt sätt, sammanställdes, granskades kritiskt för att sedan sammanställas i resultatet. Artiklar söktes i databaserna Cinahl, PsycInfo och PubMed. 11 artiklar inkluderades i resultatet. I resultatet framkom det att ha kontroll över sin situation ansågs vara en avgörande del i delaktighet. Begriplig information, att få vara delaktig i beslut kring sin omvårdnad, engagerade sjuksköterskor, ömsesidig respekt och kommunikation mellan patienter och sjuksköterskor var viktigt för att patienterna skulle uppleva trygghet och få kontroll över sin situation. Även empatiska, motiverande och lyhörda sjuksköterskor, att bli hörd och få önskemål uppfyllda och begränsad mängd sjuksköterskor bidrog till en känsla av trygghet och kontroll över patienternas situation. Urval och dataanalys presenterades i 10 av de 11 vetenskapliga artiklarna. Slutsatsen var att patienterna upplevde delaktighet som en meningsfull del i sin omvårdnadssituation. Begriplig information var en viktig komponent för att kunna hantera sin situation. Om sjuksköterskorna kunde använda sig av ett begripbart språk vid kommunikation gynnade det delaktigheten och patienterna blev tryggare. / Communication, learning and social relations are three elements contained in the concept of participation. The opportunity to take part in their care may influence health care in a way that is more beneficial to the patient. The keystone in nursing is SOC. The aim of this study was to describe inpatients experience of participation by using the concept of SOC. Another aim of this study was to examine the samplings and data collection of the scientific articles used to collect data in this study. A descriptive literature review was used to answer the aim. Articles were searched systematically, compiled, examined critically and then compiled the results. Articles were searched in the databases Cinahl, PsycInfo and PubMed. 11 articles were included in the results. The result shows that to have control over their situation was considered an essential part of participation. Understandable information, to be involved in decisions about their care, dedicated nurses, mutual respect and communication between patients and nurses was important for patients to experience security and gain control over the situation. Though empathetic, motivating and attentive nurses, to be heard and wishes fulfilled and the limited amount of nurses contributed to a sense of security and control of the patients' situation. Sampling and data analysis presented in 10 of the 11 scientific articles. The conclusion was that patients experienced participation as a meaningful part of their care situation. Intelligible information was an essential component to manage their situation. If nurses could use a comprehension offense language when communicating favored the inclusion and patients became more confident.

The focus of the study is on restorative experiences and the relationship between these experiences and psychological well-being. The variety of experiences that people experience as restorative were explored, as well as how often these experiences occurred. A working definition were written since no generally accepted definition of restorative experiences exists. A checklist with 22 categories of restorative experiences has also been drawn up. Students completed psychological well-being questionnaires and the results were used to form two groups: one with higher and one with lower levels of psychological well-being. The two groups were compared in terms of the restorative experiences present in their lives. Nature emerged as the most popular restorative environment. Rest was the most popular category with subcategories for sleep and holidays. Interpersonal contact was also a popular category for both groups. The categories for eating and drinking and activities that are damaging to the body showed important differences between groups in terms of popularity and frequency. The group with the higher levels of psychological well-being shows signs of a healthier lifestyle and they have a greater capacity to postpone gratification. In addition, they show fewer signs of substance dependency, fewer symptoms of psychological disorders and less avoidance than the group with the lower levels of psychological well-being. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

African refugees and immigrants are arriving in Manitoba in vastly increasing numbers and a review of the literature indicates that they are experiencing barriers to successful integration. The goals of this research are to understand the experiences of Sierra Leonean newcomers with seeking support and identify specific needs and services that might be helpful. Using qualitative methods, interviews were conducted with Sierra Leonean newcomers. The analysis of the data indicates that newcomers want financial independence and to fit into Canadian life. The process to get their foreign credentials accredited is difficult and affects their ability to gain economic security. They rely on informal networks with other Sierra Leoneans for assistance to acquire resources when they are unable to get help from service providers. As well, newcomers are concerned about their community image, feelings of isolation and sacrificing all of their dreams. Recommendations from this study include the need to recognize and support African community leaders in connecting with newcomers to share accurate and vital information. In addition, services for employment and the accreditation of foreign credentials should be appropriate, affordable and timely. Changes to policies and to the provision of settlement services are necessary to improve the accessibility and availability of resources required for the successful integration of African newcomers.

Introduction: Interpersonal relationships are beneficial for people with a learning disability (PWLD), acting as a protective barrier against transition difficulties, social stigma and negative outcomes such as physical and mental health problems. The social networks of PWLD are, however, often more restricted than those of the general population. There has been very little research which has explored the views and experiences of PWLD about their social and sexual relationships. A systematic review of the qualitative research surrounding the sexual relationships of PWLD was conducted. Eleven studies were reviewed, which revealed five themes: ‘A lack of knowledge regarding sexual relationships’, ‘Sexual relationships as restricted and regulated’, ‘Sexual relationships perceived as wrong’, ‘Sexual relationships being desired’, and ‘Sex as a negative experience’. Positive developments in the attitudes of others and supports were described, but the impact and influence of stigma, assumption, ignorance and a lack of autonomy regarding sexual relationships were dominantly reported. However, the findings of the reviewed studies must be considered with caution due to methodological limitations. The current study aimed to build on the existing qualitative research by exploring the experiences and perceptions of both sexual and close relationships for PWLD. Method: Data were gathered from ten PWLD using one to one semi-structured interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Results: Five super-ordinate themes were identified; ‘Relationships feeling safe and being useful’, ‘Who’s in charge?’, ‘Struggling for an ordinary life’, ‘Touching people in relationships’ and ‘Hidden feelings’. The findings were shared with participants who confirmed their relevance in the lives of PWLD. ‘Touching people in relationships’ is presented separately within a journal article format. Discussion: The findings suggest that fundamental components of close relationships were feeling safe and receiving some form of positive gain. The lack of agency participants experienced limited the development of these aspects, whilst also preventing the ability to live an ‘ordinary existence’, which included physically intimate relationships for many individuals. Finally, participant’s feelings were generally unclear, which could be related to being interviewed by a relative stranger or emotional expression difficulties. Based upon these findings it is considered that those who support PWLD should focus their assistance on addressing negative attitudes and redressing the power imbalance to facilitate an ‘ordinary existence’ for these individuals, which may indirectly enable them to naturally develop safe and useful relationships. It is also possible that reducing the barriers and stigma surrounding close relationships would open up communication regarding this area, which could indirectly promote PWLD ability to express their emotions regarding relationships. Conclusions: The research provides a greater insight into the lived experience of close relationships for PWLD. Participants valued close relationships that were safe and useful, but their ability to develop and maintain these was described as being restricted by other people and service rules. It is proposed that those supporting PWLD need to balance protective action against the freedom and choice required to develop and maintain close relationships, as restricting the already limited social networks of this population will negatively impact upon their quality of life.

<p>Social media and mobile technology now provide consumers with the opportunity to continuously document or reflect on their moment-to-moment internal and external experiences. For instance, "tweets" are often written while one is consuming some experience, just as other forms of social media may be used in their respective ways for documentation or reflection while an experience is unfolding. But what effect does verbal documentation or reflection have on consumers' enjoyment of their time? The authors propose that when consumers can verbally document or reflect about topics other than the current experience, increased mind wandering can occur, which can help lead to reduced enjoyment. Testing the theoretical model through five experiments, the authors show that verbal documentation or reflection during an experience can reduce enjoyment, regardless of whether that experience is generally enjoyable or generally unenjoyable. However, the same effect does not occur when consumers are specifically asked to verbally document or reflect only about the experience they are taking part in. Verbal documentation or reflection right after an experience ends, which does not increase mind wandering during the experience, can lead to increased enjoyment when consumers are specifically asked to verbally document or reflect only about the experience they just took part in. Implications for the use of social media for verbal documentation and reflection by consumers and marketing managers are discussed.</p> / Dissertation

With a new national curriculum, the New Zealand Ministry of Education has created a new learning area – Learning Languages. From 2010 all schools will have to show they are moving towards providing programmes for language learning for all students from Years 7 to 10. In preparation for this, primary and intermediate schools have been increasingly offering diverse programmes of language learning to their students, and high school language teachers have noticed an increase in knowledge and experience from their Year 9 entrants to language classes. This gives rise to the question of how teachers at high schools are able to manage language classes where students have a very diverse range of experiences of learning another language. This study is a case study from one high school on the phenomenon of language learning, as experienced and explained by nine Year 9 students. The students are asked to explore their current and previous language learning experiences in group interviews, and especially to discuss the issues which they have found in their classes. The students are from diverse backgrounds, with different experiences of learning another language. Their discussion is honest and wide-ranging as they talk about their experiences, giving reasons for their language choice, and explaining what they like and don’t like about their learning. They offer opinions on co-operative learning, mixed-level classes and the difficulties and benefits of learning another language and they make suggestions about what helps them learn best. A recurring theme in their discussion is one of relationships – family connections which may make a particular language more attractive, teacher-pupil relationships which foster learning, and, more especially, the peer-relationships which support (or occasionally inhibit) learning, and provide social support and a social network of friends. Overwhelmingly, they say they would rather study with their friends in a mixed-level class, than learn in a class which is streamed to their own level. Analysis of data further reveals that identity negotiations, which may not be recognised by the students themselves, play a part in the learning process. The study concludes with recommendations for practice and pedagogy, based on the students’ conversations. The four recommendations are about diversity – exploring the extent of diversity in the classroom, creating an environment which supports diversity, creating programmes which allow diverse students to learn together and creating opportunities for them to learn from each other.

This study is a minor field study and is sponsored by Swedish Development Cooperation Agency. Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and struggles with continuing reducing the national maternity mortality rate in order to satisfy WHO millennium targets. In order to improve the maternal care in Nepal an understanding of midwives experiences is needed. This study aims to explore midwives experiences from working in the Nuwakot region in Nepal from a transcultural caring perspective. The study uses a qualitative methodological approach. Unstructured interviews were performed during April 2015 at health posts in remote mountain villages in the region of Nuwakot, Nepal. Seven midwives, two men and five women were involved. By analyzing the interviews with a qualitative content analysis several categories emerged. The result shows that midwives working in a rural area of Nepal today experience several challenges in their work based on cultural influences; challenging family hierarchy, dangerous home deliveries, villagers lack of education, patients arriving too late, patients distrust in medicine and lack of resources but happy to help. The conclusion is that in order for Nepal to keep improve their maternal care, midwives needs to develop an understanding of the patient and the family’s cultural beliefs. The result can be used to reflect on how the patient's cultural beliefs can affect the midwives when performing their work in a rural area of Nepal. It can also be used to develop the midwifery education in Nepal by improving midwives’ meeting with patients and their families with cultural needs.

Antalet vuxna som lever med fetma har enligt WHO fördubblats sedan 1980. Kirurgiskt ingrepp såsom gastric bypass är den metod som leder till hållbar viktminskning. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur patienter som genomgått viktminskningskirurgi kan uppleva stödet före, under och efter operation. Studien har en narrativ fenomenologisk ansats, berättelserna har analyserats genom meningskoncentrering, strukturering och tolkning. Studien innefattar berättelser från fem informanter som valdes genom handplockat urval. Resultatet visar att de flesta informanter upplever ett fint stöd från omgivningen under processen. Missnöjet riktar sig mot sjukvården och det först efter operationen. Informanterna upplever sig som ensamma och saknar sjukvårdens förståelse. Den bristfälliga uppföljningen genererar i svårigheter för patienterna att med tiden följa de kostrekommendationer som angavs. En samtalskontakt som stöd för hållbar viktminskning och för undvikande av bristsjukdomar är att rekommendera.