Observing mentalizing art therapy groups for people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder

This article describes video-based observation of three mentalization-based treatment (MBT) art therapy groups in services for people who have received a diagnosis of personality disorder.Four focus groups (service user researchers, MBT trained psychologists, MBT trained art therapists, and the three art therapists who submitted videos) developed descriptions of the practice they observed on video. A grounded theory method was used to develop a proposition that if the art therapist uses art to demonstrate their attention, this tends to help potentially chaotic and dismissive groups to cooperate, whereas if the art therapist gives the appearance of passivity, it tends to increase the problematic interactions in the group

Educating Through Democracy: A Critical Analysis of Classroom Discourse

In this dissertation, the researcher examined teachers’ and students’ discourses through a social constructionist framing of democratic education to understand how they disrupted or maintained traditional schooling discourses. Data were generated during four consecutive days of video and audio recording of teachers’ and students’ discourses. Other data sources included open-ended interviews; observations; field notes; methodological journal; analytic memos; and the school’s website. Two cycles of coding were employed to identify the teachers’ and students’ discursive enactments. The researcher then utilized a process of micro-ethnographic Interactional Sociolinguistic Transcription as well as Gee’s (2014) processes of micro-ethnographic and macro-ethnographic critical discourse analyses to understand how the teachers’ and students’ discourses disrupted or maintained traditional schooling discourses. Findings demonstrate that teachers and students enacted discourses that disrupted and maintained traditional schooling discourses, sometimes simultaneously. Additionally, findings indicate that it is necessary to employ a social constructionist framing when studying democratic education in order to understand how democracy is nurtured within discourse. KEYWORDS: democratic education, social constructionism, critical discourse analysis, discourse, democrac

Engaging children and young people in physical activity

Children and young people’s physical activity levels are of continuing concern as the health implications for both childhood, and later on in adulthood, may be determined by their experiences of physical activity whilst growing up. Although many attempts have been made to increase physical activity levels relatively little attention has been paid to listening to the voices of children and how they experience physical activity. The publications presented in this thesis provide evidence to support the tenets of the Self Determination Theory. The results of three studies, one mixed methods, one literature review and one qualitative, have been synthesised to provide a commentary on why children engage with physical activity. The original contribution to knowledge arises from collecting evidence directly from active children and young people, many of whom have been previously disengaged from activity, to inform future interventions. For some children and young people being forced to be active is counterproductive as they associate activity as something that has to be ‘got out of the way’ or avoided where possible. If they are to take part in physical activity of their own volition it has to be enjoyable. The results of this thesis suggest that for it to be enjoyable participation should be in activities of their choice, where they feel competent and in control of their bodies whilst exercising. They want to be supported by parents and peers and respected, but not controlled, by teachers/instructors. Many children, in particular obese children, lack confidence in both their physical and social skills to interact with their peers in a physical activity setting. In providing separate activity sessions, which promote a caring and supportive climate, and a variety of non-traditional activities, children can develop competencies which enable them to enjoy being physically active. These findings need to be understood and further developed if we are to engage all young people in physical activity

Robots in Nursing - False Rhetoric or Future Reality?: How might robots contribute to hospital nursing in the future? A qualitative study of the perspectives of roboticists and nurses

Introduction. The challenge of the global nursing shortage coupled with a rising healthcare demand prompts consideration of technology as a potential solution. Technology in the form of robots is being developed for healthcare applications but the potential role in nursing has not been researched in the UK. Methods A three-phased qualitative study was undertaken: interviews with 5 robotic developers (Phase 1); nine focus groups /interviews with 25 hospital Registered Nurses (RN) in Phase 2, and 12 nurse leaders in four focus groups (Phase 3). Data was analysed using framework analysis for Phase 1 and reflexive thematic analysis for Phase 2 and 3 data based on the Fundamentals of Care framework. Results Roboticist interviews confirmed that a taxonomy of potential robotic automation was a useful tool for discussing the role of robots. In Phase 2, RNs described activities that robots might undertake and commented on those which they should not. RNs more readily agreed that robots could assist with physical activities than relational activities. Six potential roles that robots might undertake in future nursing practice were identified from the data and which have been labelled as advanced machine, social companion, responsive runner, helpful co-worker, proxy nurse bot, and feared substitute. Three cross-cutting themes were identified: • a fear of the future; • a negotiated reality and • a positive opportunity. In phase 3, nurse leaders considered the RN results and four themes were identified from their discussions: • First impressions of robot in nursing; • The essence of nursing; • We must do something and • Reframing the future. Conclusions Robots will be a future reality in nursing, playing an assistive role. Nursing must become technically proficient and engage with the development and testing of robots. Nurse leaders must lead policy development and reframe the narrative from substitution to assistance. A number of navigational tools have been developed including a taxonomy of nursing automation and the six robotic roles which may be useful to inform future debate in nursing

Multiple veterinary stakeholders' perspectives on important professionalism attributes for career success in veterinary clinical practice : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Science at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand

There is an increasing body of literature on professionalism in the health sciences. Most research has, however, elicited the opinions of single groups of experts and tried to use these to generalise across the profession. The aim of the thesis was, therefore, to gain a broad understanding of professionalism by appraising the voices of many tiers of veterinary stakeholders involved in veterinary clinical practice. Through a mixed methods approach using card-sort analysis, online questionnaires, focus groups, critical incident reporting and analysis of client complaints, information was collected from first year and final year Massey University veterinary students, clinical veterinary practitioners and veterinary clients. An online questionnaire was also used to gather the final year veterinary students’ opinions on veterinary professionalism pedagogy. The iterative sampling method ensured that a wide range of perceptions were represented. These multiple perspectives, along with the existing knowledge contained within the literature on veterinary and medical professionalism, provide the basis upon which to develop a theoretical framework on professionalism in the veterinary context. The synthesis of data into a framework was undertaken primarily through a grounded theory approach. The research also provides support for the importance of including professionalism in veterinary curricula. Three overarching themes emerged from the analysis of the veterinary stakeholders’ opinions, namely: ‘committing to best practice’, ‘building the veterinarian-client relationship’ and ‘client expectations’. The framework of veterinary professionalism that has evolved from scrutiny of these themes revolves around the principles of ‘veterinary care’. Career success and satisfaction for practising clinical veterinarians hinges on three crucial domains of veterinary care: ‘patient-centred care’, ‘relationship-centred care’, and ‘self-care’. The focus of patient-centred care is the animal, while the foci of relationship-centred care are the client and veterinary colleagues. The self-care domain focuses on the practising veterinarian as a person. Professionalism, therefore, fundamentally revolves around veterinarians’ accountability to a social contract with patients, clients and colleagues as well as to themselves. Analysis of veterinary student opinions on the teaching of professionalism revealed constructive viewpoints and recommendations. Students recommended that the veterinary professionalism course be embedded across the whole primary veterinary teaching programme, including in the early years of study. It was further suggested that role-playing and reflective practice should be used throughout the programme to support the development of professionalism. The need to assess professionalism adequately and appropriately was also highlighted, as was the need to include rewards for displays of good professional behaviour. The potential for the hidden curriculum and negative clinical role models to undermine the teaching of professionalism was also addressed. Additionally, students recommended that the veterinary professionalism curriculum should prepare graduates for the job market by accommodating the requirements of veterinary employers. This research represents the first time that the opinions of multiple veterinary stakeholders on the attributes of professionalism important for career success have been solicited in one series of research studies. Furthermore, this study has used novel methodologies to determine the opinions of stakeholders. For the first time, a card-sort analysis has been used to solicit veterinary students’ opinions and the critical incident technique has been used to determine the perspectives of practising veterinarians. Analysing client complaints lodged with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand also represents an original method of determining those attributes of professionalism that will promote veterinary career success and satisfaction. By seeking the perspectives of multiple veterinary stakeholders, the body of knowledge about professionalism has been extended. Furthermore, the neoteric framework of veterinary professionalism, developed in the study, could help to form the basis for constructing a robust curriculum prescribing the teaching and assessment of veterinary professionalism. It may also be used by veterinarians as a guide in the practice of veterinary medicine and in their relationships with patients, clients, colleagues and society

The life world of the occupational therapist : meaning and motive in an uncertain world

This thesis explores the life world of twelve occupational therapists. Interpretivist, phenomenological methodology has been employed to capture the central features of what it means to be an occupational therapist. Assumptions arising from phenomenological, social constructionist and hermeneutic theories underpin the methodology. Data gathered from nine in-depth interviews, three participant observations and personal reflection, were analysed in an attempt to understand the therapists' own view of their reality. Four global themes emerged through analysing the findings both phenomenologically and reflexively : 1. Who am I?: The fraught search for an occupational therapy identity; 2. The mission to make a difference : Enacting the therapists' craft; 3. Negotiating the boundaries : The caring-power relationship; 4. Safe haven or battleground? : Collaboration and conflict within the team. Analysis revealed that whilst the therapists' sense of professional identity is profoundly confused, these professionals are committed to holistic, person-centred values and sustained by a belief that occupational therapy promotes health-enhancing change. Therapists are challenged by caring-power relationships as they struggle to negotiate degrees of involvement and are damaged by pressures, abusive people and lack of professional recognition. Their sense of achievement when they make a difference helps them to regenerate themselves and they are 'healed' when valued in relationships with both patients/clients and team members. Throughout their various challenges, struggles and satisfactions, therapists are engaged in a search to find themselves and to cope in their uncertain world. Whilst the findings largely confirm the existing literature, they also offer some challenges. Therapists' experience has been found to be more complex (intense, ambivalent and contradictory) in practice than the literature indicates. A discussion explores the implications of the research for professional practice. The thesis also critically examines the use and value of phenomenology and reflexivity as research methods

Design for the Art of Learning: Defining Challenges for Maker-Driven Design Activities and Design Education in Secondary Schools

This thesis reflects on strategies used to facilitate didactic interactions between design research-creation and maker experiences in a secondary school. The author uses maker-driven design activity as a hybrid term to define educational activities that integrate critical making, sustainable action, and creative uses of technology. Two projects are described to exemplify the challenges and qualities of this didactic approach. The careful use of design constraints and observations of patterns of concern, such as process avoidance, are essential in understanding the qualities necessary for a meaningful design experience in the context of school. The author uses observations of maker-driven design activity situated in a school Fab Lab to inform guideposts for future research-creation infusing creative-technical learning with design literacy. This thesis is intended for designers, teachers, and researchers interested in creative and interdisciplinary learning experiences in what is broadly labelled as design for the art of learning

The making of a volunteer : a qualitative study

This social constructionist study originated from the researcher’s exposure to the counselling volunteers environment. The study aimed to document the voices of three people, constructed as counselling volunteers. The three semi-structured interviews are with individuals who constructed themselves, or accepted the constructions of their role, as volunteers. The “case study approach” was chosen as the most suitable method to gather the information. “Thematic content analysis” was the method of analysis. The case studies of participants were reconstructed in terms of themes. Recurring themes in these case studies were expounded and linked within the literature. This study allowed valuable and rich information about the volunteerism to emerge. Amongst the themes that emerged, the need to help, being a good counsellor and resilience were identified as particularly important areas for future research.PsychologyM.A. (Psychology