Moderated Mediated Model of Religiosity, God Image, and Self Compassion

Religious engagement can be a protective factor as well as contribute to negative mental health outcomes in religious populations. Early experiences in the parent-child relationship influence how individuals view God, which influences how they emotionally experience and engage with religion. Previous research has explored the relationships between religiosity, view of God, and self-compassion. This study explored the influence of three separate views of God on the cross-generational maintenance of religiosity and as sociocultural factors that influence self-compassion within the context of religiosity. Results supported several direct and indirect relationships. The analysis included one simple mediation model to explore the mediating effect of self-compassion on the cross-generational maintenance of religiosity. Next, two moderation models were used to explore the effect of three separate views of God on the cross-generational maintenance of religiosity and self-compassion within the context of religiosity. Last, a moderated mediation model was used to explore three separate views of God on the cross-generational maintenance of religiosity through self-compassion. Implications concerning how these findings can be used within the field of counseling, counselor education, and supervision are discussed in this study as well as areas for future research

Self-deception in and out of Illness: Are some subjects responsible for their delusions?

This paper raises a slightly uncomfortable question: are some delusional subjects responsible for their delusions? This question is uncomfortable because we typically think that the answer is pretty clearly just ‘no’. However, we also accept that self-deception is paradigmatically intentional behavior for which the self-deceiver is prima facie blameworthy. Thus, if there is overlap between self-deception and delusion, this will put pressure on our initial answer. This paper argues that there is indeed such overlap by offering a novel philosophical account of self-deception. The account offered is independently plausible and avoids the main problems that plague other views. It also yields the result that some delusional subjects are self-deceived. The conclusion is not, however, that those subjects are blameworthy. Rather, a distinction is made between blameworthiness and ‘attributability’. States or actions can be significantly attributable to a subject—in the sense that they are expressions of their wills—without it being the case that the subject is blameworthy, if the subject has an appropriate excuse. Understanding delusions within this framework of responsibility and excuses not only illuminates the ways in which the processes of delusional belief formation and maintenance are continuous with ‘ordinary’ processes of belief formation and maintenance, it also provides a way of understanding the innocence of the delusional subject that does not involve the denial of agency

‘Managing pieces of a personal puzzle’ — older people’s experiences of self-management falls prevention exercise guided by a digital program or a booklet

Background: Exercise is effective in order to prevent falls in community-dwelling older people. Self-management programs have the potential to increase access and reduce costs related to exercise-based fall prevention. However, information regarding older people's views of participating in such programs is needed to support implementation. The aim of this study was to explore older people's experiences of a self-management fall prevention exercise routine guided either by a digital program (web-based or mobile) or a paper booklet. Methods: This qualitative study was part of a feasibility study exploring two completely self-managed exercise interventions in which the participants tailored their own program, guided either by a digital program or a paper booklet. Individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 28 participants (18 women), mean age 76yrs. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: Self-managing and self-tailoring these exercise programs was experienced as Managing pieces of a personal puzzle'. To independently being able to create a program and manage exercise was described in the categories Finding my own level' and Programming it into my life'. The participants experienced the flexibility and independence provided by completely self-managed exercise as positive and constructive although it required discipline. Furthermore, different needs and preferences when managing their exercise were described, as well as varying sources of motivation for doing the exercise, as highlighted in the category Defining my source of motivation'. The category Evolving my acquired knowledge' captures the participants' views of building their competence and strategies for maintenance of the exercise. It describes a combined process of learning the program and developing reflection, which was more clearly articulated by participants using the digital program. Conclusions: This study provides new knowledge regarding experiences, preferences and motivations of older people to engage in home-based self-managed fall prevention exercise. They expressed both a capability and willingness to independently manage their exercise. A digital program seems to have strengthened the feeling of support while creating their own exercise program and tailoring it to their preferences and circumstances, which might therefore create better opportunities for adoption and adherence in the long term

Making Linked Open Data Writable with Provenance Semirings

Linked Open Data cloud (LOD) is essentially read-only, re- straining the possibility of collaborative knowledge construction. To sup- port collaboration, we need to make the LOD writable. In this paper, we propose a vision for a writable linked data where each LOD participant can define updatable materialized views from data hosted by other par- ticipants. Consequently, building a writable LOD can be reduced to the problem of SPARQL self-maintenance of Select-Union recursive mate- rialized views. We propose TM-Graph, an RDF-Graph annotated with elements of a specialized provenance semiring to maintain consistency of these views and we analyze complexity in space and traffic

Patient Experiences of Structured Heart Failure Programmes

Objectives. Patient experiences of structured heart failure rehabilitation and their views on the important components of heart failure services were examined. Methods. Focus groups were conducted with fifteen participants (men, n = 12) attending one of two heart failure rehabilitation programmes. Sessions were guided by a semistructured interview schedule covering participants' experiences of the programme, maintenance, and GP role. Focus group transcripts were analysed qualitatively. Results. Participants indicated that rehabilitation programmes substantially met their needs. Supervised exercise sessions increased confidence to resume physical activity, while peer-group interaction and supportive medical staff improved morale. However, once the programme ended, some participants' self-care motivation lapsed, especially maintenance of an exercise routine. Patients doubted their GPs' ability to help them manage their condition. Conclusion. Structured rehabilitation programmes are effective in enabling patients to develop lifestyle skills to live with heart failure. However, postrehabilitation maintenance interventions are necessary to sustain patients' confidence in disease self-management

Oriental enlightenment: the problematic military experiences and cultural claims of Count Maurice Auguste comte de Benyowsky in Formosa during 1771

Maurice Benyowsky's colourful version of his global adventures during the heady, expansive days of the late-Enlightenment remains still as an historical account, and is perhaps destined for reification at a time of romantic, postmodernist cultural affirmation. Yet this paper argues that within it there lies a virile and possibly dangerous Orientalism, one at least partially based upon a lurid, opportunistic and self-seeking fabrication of his visit to Taiwan (Formosa) in the year 1771. This paper examines the veracity, provenance and historiography of the Benyowsky account of late-eighteenth century Formosa, both as an exercise in one facet of Taiwanese history and as some exploration of the origin and maintenance of European views of the "other" and of the "orient" as they were transforming during the late-Enlightenment period. Furthermore a principal task is to provide an historiographical analysis that illustrates both the initial reasons for the acceptance of Benyowsky's lurid account as well as the wider contexts of its long life as a seemingly reliable and authentic tale. Questions remain as to the cultural contexts of any general acceptance of otherwise doubtful stories, experiments, claims and "adventures". Here there is little doubt that the original Memoirs were given greater credence by Benyowsky's talent in self-fashioning his character and status as those of a reliable gentleman

Self-monitoring of Blood Glucose in Black Caribbean and South Asian Canadians with Non-insulin Treated Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Qualitative Study of Patients’ Perspectives.

Abstract Background:To examine the views and current practice of SMBG among Black Caribbean and South Asian individuals with non-insulin treated Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Twelve participants completed semi-structured interviews that were guided by the Health Belief Model and analyzed using thematic network analysis. Results: The frequency of monitoring among participants varied from several times a day to once per week. Most participants expressed similar experiences regarding their views and practices of SMBG. Minor differences across gender and culture were observed. All participants understood the benefits, but not all viewed SMBG as beneficialto their personal diabetes management. SMBG can facilitate a better understanding and maintenance of self-care behaviours. However, it can trigger both positive and negative emotional responses, such as a sense of disappointment when high readings are not anticipated, resulting in emotional distress. Health care professionals play a key role in the way SMBG is perceived and used by patients. Conclusion:While the majority of participants value SMBG as a self-management tool, barriers exist that impede its practice, particularly its cost. How individuals cope with these barriers is integral to understanding why some patients adopt SMBG more than others

Beliefs, self-esteem and mood in older adults with late paraphrenia

There is little known about the psychological processes of those with 'late paraphrenia', the onset of psychosis in later life without any apparent organic cause. This research investigated the relationship between mood, low self-esteem and the maintenance of delusions in older adults with late paraphrenia. In studies of those with early-onset schizophrenia, evidence suggests that delusions may defend against a low self-esteem, and thus depression (Kinderman & Bentall, 1996). It is thought that older people use psychological strategies to maintain self-esteem in the face of negative changes to their lives as the consequence of ageing (Atchley, 1982). The present study hypothesised that the psychosis of those with late paraphrenia may be due to strategies used to maintain self-esteem during the ageing process. Self-esteem, depression and self-representations, as well as perceptions of changes in functioning over time, were investigated in 13 people with late paraphernalia over the age of 65. Responses were compared with a depressed group (N=15) and healthy control group (N=15). The study found that those with late paraphrenia showed good levels of self-esteem and little depression. There was no evidence to suggest that their delusions were acting as a defence against underlying negative feelings about themselves. However, there was some indication that the positive views that those with late paraphrenia have were compromised by more negative views of their perceived functioning in the external world. The results are discussed in relation to theories of the function of delusions and conceptual models of adjustment to ageing. The implications for clinical practice are also considered

Self-monitoring of blood glucose in Black Caribbean and South Asian Canadians with non-insulin treated Type 2 diabetes mellitus: a qualitative study of patients' perspectives

Background: To examine the views and current practice of SMBG among Black Caribbean and South Asian individuals with non-insulin treated Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Twelve participants completed semi-structured interviews that were guided by the Health Belief Model and analyzed using thematic network analysis. Results: The frequency of monitoring among participants varied from several times a day to once per week. Most participants expressed similar experiences regarding their views and practices of SMBG. Minor differences across gender and culture were observed. All participants understood the benefits, but not all viewed SMBG as beneficial to their personal diabetes management. SMBG can facilitate a better understanding and maintenance of self-care behaviours. However, it can trigger both positive and negative emotional responses, such as a sense of disappointment when high readings are not anticipated, resulting in emotional distress. Health care professionals play a key role in the way SMBG is perceived and used by patients. Conclusion: While the majority of participants value SMBG as a self-management tool, barriers exist that impede its practice, particularly its cost. How individuals cope with these barriers is integral to understanding why some patients adopt SMBG more than others