The Experience of recovery From the Perspective of Chemically Dependent Women: A Qualitative Study

Research on the experience of chemically dependent women has evolved over the past two decades. This qualitative study contributes to the increasing research on women\u27s issues by exploring the experience and meaning of recovery for women. An interview guide was used to conduct in-depth interviews with six women about their meanings of recovery and motivation for seeking and maintaining recovery Content analysis was used to find common themes of the recovering experience. Results of the study concluded that recovery for a women is not only sobriety, but also includes change and self-discovery. Findings displayed themes of insight and pain as motivation for seeking recovery and themes of remembering and rewards were displayed as motivation for maintaining recovery Significance of this study is the potential increased understanding and enhanced services for women in recovery. Implications for practice and policy are discussed

Two hundred year old lesson in bullying: building community by producing Honk! Jr., a musical based on The Ugly Duckling

Benjamin Franklin Theatre Project was created in response to recent violence in schools and new anti-bullying legislation. Schools in Washington State are mandated by legislation to adopt anti-bullying policies. After a policy was made official, it was up to schools, particularly educators to guide students to understand, support and integrate the anti-bullying message into the school community. Theatre education, a constructivist, holistic approach to learning, was a successful way to do this at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School. By producing HONK! Jr. a musical play based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story “The Ugly Duckling”, students were able to explore, role-play and recreate a true account of bullying. Andersen’s “The Ugly Duckling”, is based on his life and the bullying he endured as a child. All students deserve a peaceful, safe, positive environment at school. Using theatre education as a bridge for integrated thematic learning provided a safe and pretend environment for students to gain empathy and ultimately understand the dangers of bullying. Producing a musical play was a way to build self-esteem, promote acceptance, and to build strong community bonds. Requiring parent participation and allowing all interested students to join were two key factors that naturally helped detour bullying behavior. This thesis was an exploration of how theatre education, particularly producing a play, can be a tool to take a social message from a policy into the school community value system

Hvordan påvirker motivasjon og mestring drop out ungdommer

Formål med denne studien har vært å undersøke hvordan mestring og motivasjon har påvirkning på drop out ungdommer på ungdomsskolen, med fokus på jenter. Det er et stort fokus på tema og hvordan få flest mulig unge til å gjennomføre et utdanningsforløp på nominert tid. Undersøkelsen har tatt utgangspunkt i å se på årsaker til drop out. Et det noen faktorer som kan kalles suksessfaktorer man tenker er medvirkende til at noen klarer å gjennomføre skoleforløpet. I oppgaven vil det også fremkomme tall og statistikker som viser hvordan det står til i dag sammenliknet med de siste års undersøkelser. Studiet viser en positiv endring i gjennomføring av utdanningsplan, og at det er en økning i antall unge som gjennomfører en høyere utdanning. Psykisk helse er et fokus som har blitt mer aktuelt å se på som årsak. Undersøkelsen viser at motivasjon, mestring, identitet og tilknytning har påvirkning på barn- og unges livsglede som igjen kan påvirke deres skolehverdag så vel som deres relasjon med andre. Studien viser at det er sammensatte årsaker som i mange tilfeller er grunn til at de unge dropper ut, og vi ser tendens til at det skjer i overganger fra mellomtrinn til ungdomsskole. Videre fremkommer det av studien at alternativ opplæringssted med fokus på praksis nær opplæring for ungdomsskole elever, kan være en suksessfaktor for elever som ønsker en skolehverdag med mye praktisk læring og stort fokus på samarbeid mellom skole og foreldremedvirkning. Studien har ved hjelp av spørsmål som omhandler blant annet årsaken til at elevene droppet ut, hva skjedde, når skjedde det og hva er årsaken til at eleven er tilbake på skolen igjen forsøkt å svare på problemstillingen; Har motivasjon og mestring påvirkning til at ungdommer dropper ut. Sett ut fra informantenes opplevelser samt relevant teori og andre studier finner vi at motivasjon og mestring i høy grad kan ses på som medvirkende faktorer

Cranberry juice and combinations of its organic acids are effective against experimental urinary tract infection

The antibacterial effect of cranberry juice and the organic acids therein on infection by uropathogenic Escherichia coli was studied in an experimental mouse model of urinary tract infection (UTI). Reduced bacterial counts were found in the bladder (P < 0.01) of mice drinking fresh cranberry juice. Commercially available cranberry juice cocktail also significantly reduced (P < 0.01) bacterial populations in the bladder, as did the hydrophilic fraction of cranberry juice (P < 0.05). Quinic, malic, shikimic, and citric acid, the preponderant organic acids in cranberry juice, were tested in combination and individually. The four organic acids also decreased bacterial levels in the bladder when administered together (P < 0.001), and so did the combination of malic plus citric acid (P < 0.01) and malic plus quinic acid (P < 0.05). The other tested combinations of the organic acids, and the acids administered singly, did not have any effect in the UTI model. Apparently, the antibacterial effect of the organic acids from cranberry juice on UTI can be obtained by administering a combination of malic acid and either citric or quinic acid. This study show for the first time that cranberry juice reduce E. coli colonization of the bladder in an experimental mouse model of urinary tract infection and that the organic acids are active agents