Adult missing persons:a concept analysis

Missing persons incidents incur considerable societal costs but research has overwhelmingly concentrated on missing children. Understanding the phenomenon among adults is underdeveloped as a result. We conducted an evolutionary concept analysis of the ‘missing person’ in relation to adults. Evolutionary concept analysis provides a structured narrative review methodology which aims to clarify how poorly defined phenomena have been discussed in the professional/academic literature in order to promote conceptual clarity and provide building blocks for future theoretical development. A systematic literature search identified k = 73 relevant papers from which surrogate terms for, and antecedents, consequences, and attributes of the occurrence of adult missing persons were extracted and analysed. The core attributes of the adult missing person are (i) actual or perceived unexpected or unwanted absence accompanied by an absence of information and (ii) a potential adverse risk outcome as perceived by those left behind. The centrality of mental ill-health in actual adult missing persons cases is not reflected in theoretical development which largely comprises descriptive typologies of variable quality and questionable utility. There is a clear need to shift research emphasis towards clinical and psychological domains of inquiry in order to further advance the field of adult missing persons research

Music teachers' experiences of improvisation in band and orchestra classrooms

Many teachers do not consider improvisation relevant to band or orchestra, and available research indicates that it is one of the least utilized activities in these classrooms. Bandura’s (1977, 1997) self-efficacy theory can explain many of the attitudes teachers have towards improvisation, as well as its absence in the classroom. I sought to discover what role self-efficacy played in leading some teachers to incorporate improvisation into their band and orchestra classrooms. Using a three-interview model as espoused by Seidman (1998), I interviewed six teachers about their experiences with improvisation in their teaching practice. I discovered five emergent themes that the participants had in common. These themes fit into two categories—the development of beliefs about improvisation, and how those beliefs about improvisation affected participants’ behavior. I conclude with a discussion of implications for the field and suggest that future research focus on the presence or lack of improvisation instruction during teacher education programs, as well as the prevalence and efficacy of professional development workshops around improvisation

What happens in a child's world when their parent(s) goes to jail? : the voice of a child : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts, Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

This qualitative study provides a unique insight into the lives of six children who have a parent in prison. It adds to the limited research available and affords children an opportunity to share their experiences of parental imprisonment. A New Zealand Māori cultural perspective, which can be used across cultures, was used to engage participants and develop topic headings and questions. Six children, aged nine to sixteen, participated in an audio recorded semi structured interview, which was then transcribed verbatim. An inductive thematic analysis was used to identify and analyse themes within these transcripts. Three main themes emerged from this analysis, including loss, stigma/secrecy and support/coping. Loss played a significant role in the children’s experiences, and included not only the loss of their imprisoned parent, but also financial security. The effects of loss are exacerbated by the lack of recognition, and the associated stigma it receives from the wider society. Stigma, along with secrecy appeared as a second theme, and is discussed in the context of participant’s awareness of their stigma status, which then elicits the use of secrecy to manage and avoid the negative reactions of others. The theme of support and coping revealed other, more positive coping mechanisms used by participants, which included joining sports and other social groups, along with seeking out adult and peer support. It was evident from these themes, that although parental imprisonment complicates a child’s life and brings many adversities, the use of positive coping mechanisms and seeking out supports, may buffer the ill effects of this experience, but not take away the grief they feel

Quantifying the functional role of discrete movement variability: Links to adaptation and learning

Introduction: Movement variability can be defined as the variance in human movement from one trial or cycle to the next, often when attempting to maintain dynamic equilibrium (in the case of continuous skills) or achieve consistent movement outcome (for discrete skills). Some theoretical perspectives of motor control consider movement variability to be deleterious. However, the dynamical systems perspective proposes beneficial and functional roles for movement variability. Within this view variability has developed as an independent theme of research that has gained momentum over the past 25 years, attracting focus from various sub-disciplines within the field with a major contribution from sports biomechanics. The previous research within the field of movement variability has proposed that these functional roles include reducing the risk of injury, enabling coordination change and facilitating adaptation to varying task or environmental constraints. This thesis is primarily constituted of four sequential studies designed to further the method-related approach to, and theoretical understanding of, the interaction between variability in discrete movement and adaptation

Police support for harm reduction policies and practices towards people who inject drugs. Modernising drug law enforcement report 1.

The objective of this project, led by the International Drug Policy Consortium, with the participation of the International Security Research Department at Chatham House and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, is to collate and refine theoretical material and examples of new approaches to drug law enforcement, as well as to promote debate amongst law enforcement leaders on the implications for future strategies. Key Points: • Many police services have long played an important role in the protection and promotion of various aspects of public health – the primary role of police officers is to protect life and property. • On their appointment police officers swear or affirm to uphold the laws of their countries including those which directly or indirectly speak to the protection of public health, fundamental human rights and the promotion of health related programmes and interventions. • Police services from around the world have engaged with a range of harm reduction interventions incorporated within the WHO, UNODC, UNAIDS ‘comprehensive package for the prevention, treatment and care of HIV among [people who inject drugs (PWID)]’, including needle and syringe programmes and opioid substitution therapy (OST). • Some police services also engage in good practice relative to the operation of drug consumption rooms, drug overdose prevention and drug referral schemes. • Evidence shows that harm reduction interventions are cost effective, produce positive public health outcomes, and in some cases lead to reductions in drug related criminal activity. • In some countries police services remain antagonistic towards harm reduction interventions and often operate contrary to national laws and rights-based treaties. • Chief police officers need to ramp up, and in many case initiate, engagement with a full range of harm reduction interventions relating to people who inject drugs and work to change related laws where necessary. • Embedding harm reduction principles within police service training curricula can bring about positive and beneficial change in policing attitudes towards people who inject drugs. • The proper exercise of police discretion will also help to achieve positive and beneficial change and engender support for harm reduction programmes. • Police service performance indicators should, where possible, support the broader agenda of public health