The Experiences of School Counselors Providing Virtual Services During Covid-19: A Phenomenological Investigation

School counselors are trained in providing academic, career, and social/emotional support to K-12 students. In March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic took the world of K-12 education by surprise, forcing school counselors to deliver a virtual school counseling program with little to no time for preparation. School counselors were faced with meeting the seemingly ever-changing needs of K-12 students as social, political, and health concerns evolved throughout the pandemic. Although schools have since begun to reopen their doors, the effects of Covid-19 are far from over. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of United States (U.S.) public school counselors providing virtual services to K-12 students throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. This valuable insight into the world of virtual school counseling during Covid-19 will serve as a platform for the development of future practices, training, and counselor education curricula

A primary care Symptoms Clinic for patients with medically unexplained symptoms : pilot randomised trial

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Social support for South Asian Muslim parents with life-limiting illness living in Scotland:a multiperspective qualitative study

Objective: To explore experiences of social support needs among South Asian Muslim patients with life-limiting illness, living in Scotland, who are parents of young children. Design: Secondary analysis of data from a multiperspective, longitudinal Scottish study involving in-depth semistructured interviews with patients, their nominated carers and healthcare professionals. Data were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Setting: Edinburgh, Scotland. Participants: South-Asian Muslim patients with life-limiting illness with children under the age of 18 (n=8), their carer (n=6) and their healthcare professional. Main outcome measures Access and provision of social support in palliative care. Results: Open-ended qualitative interviews identified four main themes: (1) parental sadness over being unable to provide tangible support; (2) parental desire to continue to provide emotional support; (3) limited availability of informal social support networks; and (4) differing perspectives between healthcare professionals and patients on patient access to social support sources, with a subtheme being the capacity of male carers to provide social support. South-Asian parents at the end of life had limited access to extended-network support. Gender roles appeared as challenging for healthcare providers who at times overestimated the amount of support a female carer could provide and underestimated the amount of support male carers provided. Implications for practice include the need for greater awareness by healthcare providers of the social support needs of ethnic minority and migrant parents with life-limiting illnesses and especially an awareness of the importance of the role of male and female carers. Further research is needed to explore how the timing of migration impacts the need for and availability of tangible and emotional informal social support among ethnic minority parents with life-limiting illness

The experiences of support persons of people newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis: an interpretative phenomenological study.

Aim: This study explores the experience of the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis for the support person and identifies the impact on their lives. Background: At the time of diagnosis, the support person may not be readily identified in a traditional caring role; however, the diagnosis itself brings with it the possibility of changes to the roles in the relationship and possible consequences for biographical construction. Design: A hermeneutic phenomenological study. Methods: A convenience sample of nine support persons was interviewed between December 2008 - March 2010. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings: The participants in this study were often not readily identifiable as 'carers'; however, the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis implied a shift towards a caring role at some point in the future. The uncertainty surrounding the nature and progression of the condition left this identity hanging, incomplete and as such contributed to a liminal way of being. Conclusions: This paper reveals that biographical disruption is not limited to the person diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis but that the support person also undergoes a transition to their sense of self to that of 'anticipatory carer'. The findings provide insight into the biographical and emotional impact of Multiple Sclerosis on the support persons early in the development of the condition

Motivated But Challenged: Counselor Educators’ Experiences Teaching About Social Determinants of Health

A phenomenological study was conducted to understand eight counselor educators’ experiences teaching about social determinants of health. The analysis yielded three themes: educator identity, motivations, and challenges. Implications for counselor educators preparing future counselors to be leaders in multiculturalism, social justice, and advocacy are provided

Investigating the effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet in pregnant women for the primary prevention of asthma and allergy in high-risk infants: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial

This research is funded by the Chief Scientist Office of The Scottish Government/Chief Medical Officer Directorate (Grant CZG/2/558). The authors would like to acknowledge the staff involved in the NHS ethical and research and development review processes, and staff at the Health Records Department of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for their help in getting the recruitment material to potential participants. The staff at the ultrasound/X-ray clinics at the two NHS Lothian sites where the participants are met by the researcher are most helpful and accommodating. The authors thank Anne Galloway (dietitian) who, when available, is delivering the intervention at one of the sites. They would also like to thank the participants for volunteering to take part, Dr Rob Elton the independent statistician, and Julia Clark (dietitian), Dr Ulugbek Nurmatov (researcher), and our Consumer Involvement Group for their input.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Living and dying with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: multi-perspective longitudinal qualitative study

Objectives To understand the perspectives of people with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as their illness progresses, and of their informal and professional carers, to inform provision of care for people living and dying with COPD