Modelling the Multi in Multi-Party Communication

This thesis investigates the effects of multimedia communications technology on the interaction of mixed- and same-role groups. The first study explores the effect of video and audio conferencing on small, role-differentiated problem-solving groups in the laboratory. The second laboratory study examines the impact of shared video technology on the communication of role-undifferentiated groups. A multi-faceted analytical approach is employed, including indices of task performance, process and content of communication, patterns of interaction and subjective user evaluations. Lastly, a field study looks at how the communication process of business meetings is affected by status constraints and audio conferencing technology. The findings show that both multimedia video and audio communications technology have similar impacts on the patterns of speaker contributions in different types and sizes of groups, and that the extent of their effect is influenced by the presence or absence of role differences between group members - whether experimentally manipulated in the laboratory or organisationally assigned roles in a naturalistic setting. Technology-mediation appears to exaggerate the impact of status and role such that group members say more disparate amounts and interact less freely than in face-to-face groups, in particular it exaggerates the dominance of one individual. Surprisingly, multimedia conferencing technology can support free and equal participation in groups whose speakers have similar roles but evidence of its effect on speakers of similar status is equivocal. The implications for communication outcome and design of communications technology are discussed

The existence and importance of patients’ mental images of their head and neck cancer:A qualitative study

This study was supported by the Chief Scientist Office Scotland, grant number: CZS/1/48, URL http://www.cso.scot.nhs.uk/.OBJECTIVES: To explore the existence and importance of mental images of cancer among people with head and neck cancers with a focus on the perceived origins and meaning of mental images, their development over time, and their relationship to illness beliefs. METHODS: A longitudinal qualitative study consisting of 44 in-depth semi-structured interviews with 25 consecutive, newly-diagnosed head and neck cancer patients. Participants were invited to draw their images during the interviews. Follow-up interviews occurred after treatment completion. Analysis drew upon the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). RESULTS: Many participants had mental images of their cancer which appeared to both embody and influence their beliefs about their illness, and affect their emotional response. For those who held them, mental images appeared to constitute an important part of their cognitive representation (understanding) of their illness. For some, their images also had a powerful emotional impact, being either reassuring or frightening. Images often appeared to originate from early clinical encounters, and remained fairly stable throughout treatment. Images could be conceptualised as 'concrete' (the perceived reality) and/or 'similic' (figurative). Patients' images reflected the perceived meaning, properties or 'intent' of the cancer-that is beliefs concerning the disease's identity, consequences and prognosis (likelihood of cure or control). CONCLUSIONS: People with head and neck cancer may develop a mental image of their disease, often generated early within clinical encounters, which can both reflect and influence their understanding of the cancer. Such images tend to be stable over time. We theorise that careful use of images in early consultations could avoid or minimise some distress, including fears of outcome or recurrence. Concrete or similic images and language could be employed later to change perceptions and reduce distress.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Perceptions and experiences of control among people living with motor neurone disease: a systematic review and thematic synthesis

Purpose: Current research suggests that feeling a lack of control is common among people living with Motor Neurone Disease (plwMND). This systematic review explores and synthesises evidence about: (1) What factors contribute towards perceptions of control in plwMND (2) How do plwMND attempt to main tain control in their daily lives? Methods: A systematic search from inception to January 2022 for peer-reviewed journal articles in English reporting qualitative and mixed-method primary studies or reviews of plwMND’s perceptions or experiences of control was conducted on CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ASSIA, Embase and AMED. Eligible articles underwent quality appraisal, data extraction and a thematic synthesis was carried out. Results: Twenty publications, 19 primary studies and one review, from nine countries, reporting the views of 578 participants aged from 20 to 90 years were included. Two key analytical themes were identified (1) diagnosis can lead to a disruption of previously held control beliefs (2) plwMND use a range of control strategies to attempt to retain control in their lives. Conclusion: This is the first systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis to reveal the strategies plwMND use to regain control and that control beliefs about health, fate, identity and bodily control are significantly altered by the diagnosis.Output Status: Forthcoming/Available Onlin

Why, when and how to update a meta-ethnography qualitative synthesis

Background: Meta-ethnography is a unique, systematic, qualitative synthesis approach widely used to provide robust evidence on patient and clinician beliefs and experiences and understandings of complex social phenomena. It can make important theoretical and conceptual contributions to health care policy and practice. Results Since beliefs, experiences, health care contexts and social phenomena change over time, the continued relevance of the findings from meta-ethnographies cannot be assumed. However, there is little guidance on whether, when and how meta-ethnographies should be updated; Cochrane guidance on updating reviews of intervention effectiveness is unlikely to be fully appropriate. This is the first in-depth discussion on updating a meta-ethnography; it explores why, when and how to update a meta-ethnography. Three main methods of updating the analysis and synthesis are examined. Advantages and disadvantages of each method are outlined, relating to the context, purpose, process and output of the update and the nature of the new data available. Recommendations are made for the appropriate use of each method, and a worked example of updating a meta-ethnography is provided. Conclusions This article makes a unique contribution to this evolving area of meta-ethnography methodology

A methodological systematic review of what’s wrong with meta-ethnography reporting.

Background: Syntheses of qualitative studies can inform health policy, services and our understanding of patient experience. Meta-ethnography is a systematic seven-phase interpretive qualitative synthesis approach well-suited to producing new theories and conceptual models. However, there are concerns about the quality of meta-ethnography reporting, particularly the analysis and synthesis processes. Our aim was to investigate the application and reporting of methods in recent meta-ethnography journal papers, focusing on the analysis and synthesis process and output.Methods: Methodological systematic review of health-related meta-ethnography journal papers published from 2012–2013. We searched six electronic databases, Google Scholar and Zetoc for papers using key terms including ‘meta-ethnography.’ Two authors independently screened papers by title and abstract with 100% agreement. We identified 32 relevant papers. Three authors independently extracted data and all authors analysed the application and reporting of methods using content analysis.Results: Meta-ethnography was applied in diverse ways, sometimes inappropriately. In 13% of papers the approach did not suit the research aim. In 66% of papers reviewers did not follow the principles of meta-ethnography. The analytical and synthesis processes were poorly reported overall. In only 31% of papers reviewers clearly described how they analysed conceptual data from primary studies (phase 5, ‘translation’ of studies) and in only one paper (3%) reviewers explicitly described how they conducted the analytic synthesis process (phase 6). In 38% of papers we could not ascertain if reviewers had achieved any new interpretation of primary studies. In over 30% of papers seminal methodological texts which could have informed methods were not cited.Conclusions: We believe this is the first in-depth methodological systematic review of meta-ethnography conduct and reporting. Meta-ethnography is an evolving approach. Current reporting of methods, analysis and synthesis lacks clarity and comprehensiveness. This is a major barrier to use of meta-ethnography findings that could contribute significantly to the evidence base because it makes judging their rigour and credibility difficult. To realise the high potential value of meta-ethnography for enhancing health care and understanding patient experience requires reporting that clearly conveys the methodology, analysis and findings. Tailored meta-ethnography reporting guidelines, developed through expert consensus, could improve reporting

A framework for improved predictions of the climate impacts on potential yields of UK winter wheat and its applicability to other UK crops

•Changes in the frequency of extreme weather events related to climate change potentially pose significant challenges to UK agricultural production. There is a need for improved climate change risk assessments to support adaptation strategies and to ensure security of food production in future. •We describe an innovative and practical framework for spatially explicit modelling of climate change impacts on crop yields, based on the UKCP18 climate projections. Our approach allows the integration of relatively simple crop growth models with high spatial and temporal resolution Earth Observation datasets, describing changes in crop growth parameters within year and over the longer term. We focus on modelling winter wheat, a commercially important crop. We evaluate the results of the model against precision yield data collected from 719 fields. We show that the assimilation of leaf area index data from Sentinel-2 satellite observations improves the agreement of the modelled yields with those observed. Our national-scale results indicate that wheat production initially becomes more favourable under climate change across much of the UK with the projected increase in temperature. From 2050 onwards, yields increase northwards, whilst they decline in South East England as the decrease in precipitation offsets the benefits of rising temperature. •Our framework can readily accommodate growth models for other crops and LAI retrievals from other satellite sensors. The ability to explore impacts of crop yields at fine spatial resolutions is an important part of assessing the potential risks of climate change to UK agriculture and of designing more climate resilient agricultural systems

A methodological systematic review of meta-ethnography conduct to articulate the complex analytical phases

Background: Decision making in health and social care requires robust syntheses of both quantitative and qualitative evidence. Meta-ethnography is a seven-phase methodology for synthesising qualitative studies. Developed in 1988 by sociologists in education Noblit and Hare, meta-ethnography has evolved since its inception; it is now widely used in healthcare research and is gaining popularity in education research. The aim of this article is to provide up-to-date, in-depth guidance on conducting the complex analytic synthesis phases 4 to 6 of meta-ethnography through analysis of the latest methodological evidence. Methods: We report findings from a methodological systematic review conducted from 2015 to 2016. Fourteen databases and five other online resources were searched. Expansive searches were also conducted resulting in inclusion of 57 publications on meta-ethnography conduct and reporting from a range of academic disciplines published from 1988 to 2016. Results: Current guidance on applying meta-ethnography originates from a small group of researchers using the methodology in a health context. We identified that researchers have operationalised the analysis and synthesis methods of meta-ethnography – determining how studies are related (phase 4), translating studies into one another (phase 5), synthesising translations (phase 6) and line of argument synthesis - to suit their own syntheses resulting in variation in methods and their application. Empirical research is required to compare the impact of different methods of translation and synthesis. Some methods are potentially better at preserving links with the context and meaning of primary studies, a key principle of meta-ethnography. A meta-ethnography can and should include reciprocal and refutational translation and line of argument synthesis, rather than only one of these, to maximise the impact of its outputs. Conclusion: The current work is the first to articulate and differentiate the methodological variations and their application for different purposes and represents a significant advance in the understanding of the methodological application of meta-ethnography