Teaching higher education staff to understand and support autistic students: evaluation of a novel training program

BackgroundAutistic students are particularly vulnerable to stressors within a university environment and are more likely to experience poor mental health than their non-autistic peers. Students’ experiences of stigma from staff and peers, and the masking behaviors they deploy to minimize it, can also result in worsening mental health. Despite these concerns, there is a lack of tailored support for autistic students at university. The current project assesses a co-created training course for university staff focused on debunking stereotypes, educating about the autistic experience at university, mental health presentation among autistic individuals, and practical strategies to improve interactions with autistic students.MethodsThe Autism Stigma and Knowledge Questionnaire [ASK-Q] was administered before and after the training, to examine changes in trainees’ understanding and acceptance of autism and autistic people. Post-training interviews and surveys were also conducted with trainees, covering the impact the training has had on their perceptions of autism, the strategies they found beneficial, and how they will use the materials in future.ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences between pre- and post-training scores on the ASK-Q, likely due to ceiling effects as pre-training scores were high. Thematic analysis of interviews identified five themes: value of lived experience; developing nuanced, in-depth knowledge of autism; training as acceptable and feasible; links to professional practice; and systemic barriers.ConclusionAlthough ceiling effects meant there were no changes to participant’s knowledge about autism and autistic people statistically, the qualitative data reveals the extensive benefits they gained from taking part in the training programs. Scoring highly on the ASK-Q did not mean that people could not learn important new information and benefit from the course. This more nuanced understanding of autism led to practical changes in their practice. Listening to and learning from autistic people was seen as particularly important, highlighting the value of co-production. Our results also emphasize the need for varied approaches to evaluating training effectiveness, as reliance on quantitative data alone would have missed the subtler, but impactful, changes our participants experienced. This has important implications for professional practice, both within higher education and more broadly

ANALIZA STOPE UBOJSTAVA U ŠVEDSKOJ, PREMA SPOLU, DOBI I UZROKU SMRTI IZMEĐU 2003. I 2017. GODINE

Objective: The main objective of this paper was to analyse risk factors associated with murders and to establish the most common causes of deaths caused by murder in Sweden over the past 15 years. Subjects and Methods: This work was organized as a retrospective study, analysing all homicides in Sweden between the 1st of January 2003 and 31st of December 2017. The data collected was supplied with courtesy of the National Board of health and Welfare of Sweden (Socialstyrelsen) and the Swedish cause of death registry. The statistical analysis was compared using Chi-square calculations and fisher exact test. Results: From 2003-2017, there were 1258 homicides in Sweden. Total of 859 victims were male and 399 were females (P<0.0001). 65 females and 37 males died from assault by strangulation (X91) (P<0.0001). Assault by firearms (X93-95) killed 255 males and 53 females (P<0.0001). There were 61 homicides caused by assault by bodily force (Y04), 57 male victims and 12 female victims (P=0.009). The most common means of homicide in both females and males is assault by sharp object (X99), including stabbing. 2007 had the most homicides of all 15 years with 106 deaths, 2012 was the lowest with 62. 160 people between the age of 19 to 24 fell victim of homicide. Conclusion: The most significant risk factors associated to a murder victim in Sweden is, male and young age (below 30). The most common cause of death is assault by sharp objects including stabbing, regardless of gender. More females are victims of strangulation than males are and males have a higher homicide rate by firearms than females.Ciljevi: Osnovi cilj ovog rada bio je analizirati čimbenike rizika koji su povezani s ubojstvima u Švedskoj u posljednjih 15 godina, te utvrditi najčešće uzroke smrti s prikazima usporedbi stope ubojstava s drugim zemljama. Ispitanici i Metode: Rad je organiziran kao retrospektivna studija kojom je prikazana analiza slučajeva ubojstva koji su se dogodili u Švedskoj između 1. siječnja 2003. i 31. prosinca 2017. Podatci o slučajevima ubojstva su dobiveni zahvaljujući susretljivosti Nacionalnog odbora za zdravstvo i socijalnu skrb Kraljevine Švedske. Prikazani su kao kategorijske varijable, apsolutnim i relativnim frekvencijama, a za testiranje statistički značajne razlike korišten je χ2-kvadrat test odnosno Fisherov egzaktni test. Rezultati: Od 2003. do 2017. u Švedskoj je bilo 1258 ubojstava. Ukupno 859 žrtava su muškarci, a 399 žene (p <0,0001). 65 žena i 37 muškaraca umrlo je od napada davljenjem (X91) (p <0,0001). U napadu vatrenim oružjem (X93-95) ubijeno je 255. muškaraca i 53 žene (p <0,0001). Bilo je 61 ubojstava uzrokovanih napadom tjelesnom silom (Y04), 57 muških žrtava i 12 ženskih žrtava (p = 0,009). Najčešći način ubojstva i žena i muškaraca je napad oštrim predmetom (X99), uključujući ubode. U 2007. godini bilo je najviše ubojstava u svih 15 godina, sa 106 smrtnih slučajeva, 2012. najmanja sa 62. 160 ljudi u dobi od 19 do 24 godine postalo je žrtvama ubojstava. Zaključak: Najznačajniji čimbenici rizika povezani sa žrtvama ubojstva u Švedskoj su muškarac mlađi od 30 godina. Najčešći uzrok smrti je napad oštrim predmetima, uključujući ubod nožem, bez obzira na spol. Utvrđena je statistički značajna razlika između kategorije spola za slučajeve davljenja. Ključne riječi: ubojstvo, ICD klasifikacija uzroka smrti

ANALIZA STOPE UBOJSTAVA U ŠVEDSKOJ, PREMA SPOLU, DOBI I UZROKU SMRTI IZMEĐU 2003. I 2017. GODINE

Objective: The main objective of this paper was to analyse risk factors associated with murders and to establish the most common causes of deaths caused by murder in Sweden over the past 15 years. Subjects and Methods: This work was organized as a retrospective study, analysing all homicides in Sweden between the 1st of January 2003 and 31st of December 2017. The data collected was supplied with courtesy of the National Board of health and Welfare of Sweden (Socialstyrelsen) and the Swedish cause of death registry. The statistical analysis was compared using Chi-square calculations and fisher exact test. Results: From 2003-2017, there were 1258 homicides in Sweden. Total of 859 victims were male and 399 were females (P<0.0001). 65 females and 37 males died from assault by strangulation (X91) (P<0.0001). Assault by firearms (X93-95) killed 255 males and 53 females (P<0.0001). There were 61 homicides caused by assault by bodily force (Y04), 57 male victims and 12 female victims (P=0.009). The most common means of homicide in both females and males is assault by sharp object (X99), including stabbing. 2007 had the most homicides of all 15 years with 106 deaths, 2012 was the lowest with 62. 160 people between the age of 19 to 24 fell victim of homicide. Conclusion: The most significant risk factors associated to a murder victim in Sweden is, male and young age (below 30). The most common cause of death is assault by sharp objects including stabbing, regardless of gender. More females are victims of strangulation than males are and males have a higher homicide rate by firearms than females.Ciljevi: Osnovi cilj ovog rada bio je analizirati čimbenike rizika koji su povezani s ubojstvima u Švedskoj u posljednjih 15 godina, te utvrditi najčešće uzroke smrti s prikazima usporedbi stope ubojstava s drugim zemljama. Ispitanici i Metode: Rad je organiziran kao retrospektivna studija kojom je prikazana analiza slučajeva ubojstva koji su se dogodili u Švedskoj između 1. siječnja 2003. i 31. prosinca 2017. Podatci o slučajevima ubojstva su dobiveni zahvaljujući susretljivosti Nacionalnog odbora za zdravstvo i socijalnu skrb Kraljevine Švedske. Prikazani su kao kategorijske varijable, apsolutnim i relativnim frekvencijama, a za testiranje statistički značajne razlike korišten je χ2-kvadrat test odnosno Fisherov egzaktni test. Rezultati: Od 2003. do 2017. u Švedskoj je bilo 1258 ubojstava. Ukupno 859 žrtava su muškarci, a 399 žene (p <0,0001). 65 žena i 37 muškaraca umrlo je od napada davljenjem (X91) (p <0,0001). U napadu vatrenim oružjem (X93-95) ubijeno je 255. muškaraca i 53 žene (p <0,0001). Bilo je 61 ubojstava uzrokovanih napadom tjelesnom silom (Y04), 57 muških žrtava i 12 ženskih žrtava (p = 0,009). Najčešći način ubojstva i žena i muškaraca je napad oštrim predmetom (X99), uključujući ubode. U 2007. godini bilo je najviše ubojstava u svih 15 godina, sa 106 smrtnih slučajeva, 2012. najmanja sa 62. 160 ljudi u dobi od 19 do 24 godine postalo je žrtvama ubojstava. Zaključak: Najznačajniji čimbenici rizika povezani sa žrtvama ubojstva u Švedskoj su muškarac mlađi od 30 godina. Najčešći uzrok smrti je napad oštrim predmetima, uključujući ubod nožem, bez obzira na spol. Utvrđena je statistički značajna razlika između kategorije spola za slučajeve davljenja. Ključne riječi: ubojstvo, ICD klasifikacija uzroka smrti

ANALIZA STOPE UBOJSTAVA U ŠVEDSKOJ, PREMA SPOLU, DOBI I UZROKU SMRTI IZMEĐU 2003. I 2017. GODINE

Objective: The main objective of this paper was to analyse risk factors associated with murders and to establish the most common causes of deaths caused by murder in Sweden over the past 15 years. Subjects and Methods: This work was organized as a retrospective study, analysing all homicides in Sweden between the 1st of January 2003 and 31st of December 2017. The data collected was supplied with courtesy of the National Board of health and Welfare of Sweden (Socialstyrelsen) and the Swedish cause of death registry. The statistical analysis was compared using Chi-square calculations and fisher exact test. Results: From 2003-2017, there were 1258 homicides in Sweden. Total of 859 victims were male and 399 were females (P<0.0001). 65 females and 37 males died from assault by strangulation (X91) (P<0.0001). Assault by firearms (X93-95) killed 255 males and 53 females (P<0.0001). There were 61 homicides caused by assault by bodily force (Y04), 57 male victims and 12 female victims (P=0.009). The most common means of homicide in both females and males is assault by sharp object (X99), including stabbing. 2007 had the most homicides of all 15 years with 106 deaths, 2012 was the lowest with 62. 160 people between the age of 19 to 24 fell victim of homicide. Conclusion: The most significant risk factors associated to a murder victim in Sweden is, male and young age (below 30). The most common cause of death is assault by sharp objects including stabbing, regardless of gender. More females are victims of strangulation than males are and males have a higher homicide rate by firearms than females.Ciljevi: Osnovi cilj ovog rada bio je analizirati čimbenike rizika koji su povezani s ubojstvima u Švedskoj u posljednjih 15 godina, te utvrditi najčešće uzroke smrti s prikazima usporedbi stope ubojstava s drugim zemljama. Ispitanici i Metode: Rad je organiziran kao retrospektivna studija kojom je prikazana analiza slučajeva ubojstva koji su se dogodili u Švedskoj između 1. siječnja 2003. i 31. prosinca 2017. Podatci o slučajevima ubojstva su dobiveni zahvaljujući susretljivosti Nacionalnog odbora za zdravstvo i socijalnu skrb Kraljevine Švedske. Prikazani su kao kategorijske varijable, apsolutnim i relativnim frekvencijama, a za testiranje statistički značajne razlike korišten je χ2-kvadrat test odnosno Fisherov egzaktni test. Rezultati: Od 2003. do 2017. u Švedskoj je bilo 1258 ubojstava. Ukupno 859 žrtava su muškarci, a 399 žene (p <0,0001). 65 žena i 37 muškaraca umrlo je od napada davljenjem (X91) (p <0,0001). U napadu vatrenim oružjem (X93-95) ubijeno je 255. muškaraca i 53 žene (p <0,0001). Bilo je 61 ubojstava uzrokovanih napadom tjelesnom silom (Y04), 57 muških žrtava i 12 ženskih žrtava (p = 0,009). Najčešći način ubojstva i žena i muškaraca je napad oštrim predmetom (X99), uključujući ubode. U 2007. godini bilo je najviše ubojstava u svih 15 godina, sa 106 smrtnih slučajeva, 2012. najmanja sa 62. 160 ljudi u dobi od 19 do 24 godine postalo je žrtvama ubojstava. Zaključak: Najznačajniji čimbenici rizika povezani sa žrtvama ubojstva u Švedskoj su muškarac mlađi od 30 godina. Najčešći uzrok smrti je napad oštrim predmetima, uključujući ubod nožem, bez obzira na spol. Utvrđena je statistički značajna razlika između kategorije spola za slučajeve davljenja. Ključne riječi: ubojstvo, ICD klasifikacija uzroka smrti

Global concerns, local negotiations and moral selves: contemporary parenting and the ‘sexualisation of childhood’ debate

Parents are contradictorily positioned within the ‘sexualisation of childhood’ debate. On the one hand, they (‘we’) are assumed to share a universal ‘concern’ about it and are urged to ‘challenge’ it through campaigning, refusing to buy inappropriate products, talking with children about ‘media messages’ and so on. On the other hand, parents – often specifically ‘mothers’ – are also held responsible for sexualisation through their irresponsible consumption. This article draws on qualitative research with parent groups to suggest that sexualisation may be a less pressing issue for parents than is often claimed: because they tend not to perceive their own children as ‘sexualised’, do not accept that goods are inherently sexualized, and subscribe to ideas about child development and ‘good parenting’ that involve letting children make decisions about such goods on their own behalf. Thus, even where parents articulate general concerns about the issue, within their own families they may opt for negotiation, compromise and subterfuge rather than overt challenge. Regardless of this, however, parents are increasingly compelled to respond to the issue, and thereby to engage in practices of ethical self-formation and individual responsibility-taking. Whilst these practices have a longer history than the sexualisation debate itself, they are framed or shaped in particular ways by it. The article indicates some problematic areas that emerged in the course of discussions with parents, such as: (self-)surveillance and critical judgement of ‘other’ girls and mothers; the obscuring of constraints on individual choice in ways that naturalise social inequalities; and the convergence of sexualisation discourse with older discourses that make women responsible for male sexual violence

TEXTfestschrift

Two works commissioned for TEXTfestschrift at the Bury Art Museum, Lancashire. The exhibition was themed around ‘the notion of constructing memory, using the material of language’. Of the two pieces – one deals with the translation of an experience into a ‘recording’ of the event that we keep in our heads and can no longer compare to the original – our memory relies on information being encoded, stored and retrieved, but that process in itself creates a version of the event that is altered in the manner by which it is processed. The on/off firing of our synapses, being as unlike the original experience itself, as a half-tone print is to the original photograph. Similarly, the memory itself can be altered during the ‘recalling and retelling’ of a story. It can be amended, degraded, embellished in all manner of ways, consciously and subconsciously until it becomes something quite different. In the same way that the elements of letterforms might be able to be deconstructed and reconstructed in various ways to create new words. ‘Our memories are constructed.’ The second piece is inspired by a quote from Allyson Strafella – ‘Memory changes the story of an experience’. Here the text is taken from an essay on memory and slowly altered until it becomes something quite new – a transition from the original story to a new re-telling of an experience which in turn will create a new memory