Childhood fantasy play relates to adult socio‐emotional competence

Childhood fantasy play and creation of imaginary companions are thought to confer socio‐emotional benefits in children, but little is known about how they relate to socio‐emotional competence in adulthood. A total of 341 adults (81 males) aged 18 and above (M = 31.47, SD = 12.62) completed an online survey examining their fantasy play as a child, their childhood imaginary companion status, and their adult socio‐emotional competence. Adults who reported higher levels of childhood fantasy play were found to be significantly more prosocial, empathetic, and emotionally intelligent than their counterparts after controlling for demographic factors. Recall of a childhood imaginary companion, however, was significantly related only to higher scores for perspective‐taking and did not explain unique variance in any adult competence measure. Findings suggest that engagement in fantasy play during childhood may be a precursor to later socio‐emotional competence, while benefits previously associated with imaginary companions specifically may not extend into adulthood

Minor Amputation and Quality of Life: Is it Time to Give the Patient a Voice?

This article provides an overview of the research that has been undertaken and presents the methods that have been used to determine the impact of minor amputation on quality of life and the findings of published research. It concludes that further research into this topic is necessary. The corresponding author is currently involved in data collection exploring this issue and intends to produce an original research article exploring patient perceptions of the impact that minor amputation has upon quality of life

‘It’s not mind blowing really….it’s about keeping people happy’: the perceptions of player welfare managers in Rugby Super League

At a time when the welfare needs of individuals within powerful organisations, such as professional sport, are being scrutinised it is appropriate to look at what is being done to support athletes and what more may be needed. The RFL, in recognition of the need for welfare support, introduced player welfare managers to all Super League clubs in 2011. Using an interpretivist approach, we report the findings from a series of semi-structured interviews with player welfare managers (PWMs) that explored the PWMs’ perceptions of player welfare, what impact they believe they are having on player welfare, and what else is needed to enhance the service. The PWMs perceive that they have been an important resource for players, independent of the club and coaches, which has allowed players to seek support for a range of issues. The use of the services provided by PWMs increased over the time between interviews, this, it is thought, is due in part to a change of culture within the sport. The PWMs felt the head coach, along with the backing of the club, and the RFL structure were important in the services being accessible and accepted. The PWMs were struggling to meet the demands of their job roles, which were largely part time. However, since the results of this and other studies were made accessible to the RFL, large-scale changes to welfare provision have been made, including making the PWMs’ posts full-time. This is seen as an important contribution and commitment to players’ welfare needs

The impact of sitting time and physical activity on mental health during COVID-19 lockdown

OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association between physical activity (PA) and sitting time on adults’ mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety and wellbeing) and the influence of mediators and confounders. METHODS: An online survey was disseminated in the UK between May and June 2020. A total of 284 participants (33.5 ± 12.4 years) self-reported their PA, sitting time and mental health through validated questionnaires. RESULTS: Multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that being of younger age, female, on a lower income, with one or more comorbid health conditions, with a previous diagnosis of mood disorder and increased sitting time independently correlated with higher depression scores (F (13,219) = 12.31, p < 0.001), and explained 42% of the variance. Similar results were found for wellbeing where socio-demographic, health outcomes and sitting time influenced the subjective wellbeing (F (14,218) = 5.77, p < 0.001, 27% variance), although only socio-demographic and health outcomes contributed to the variation in anxiety score (F (13,219) = 7.84, p < 0.001, 32% variance). PA did not explain variation when sitting time was taken into account in any of the models. Combined analysis revealed that participants with lower sedentary time (< 8 h) and with both low or moderate and high PA presented a significantly lower depression score [low PA: (B = −2.7, 95% CI −4.88, −0.52); moderate and high PA (B = −2.7, −4.88, −0.52)]. CONCLUSION: Sitting time was strongly associated with adverse mental health during COVID-19 lockdown and should be considered in future public health recommendations

“A lot can happen in five years”:Women’s attitudes to extending cervical screening intervals

Objective Evidence suggests that cervical screening intervals can be extended and lifetime cervical screening for human papillomavirus (HPV)-vaccinated women could be reduced. This study examines UK women's attitudes to extending screening intervals and assesses associations between knowledge, risk perception and HPV vaccination status, and acceptability of changes. Methods Using a convenience sampling strategy, an anonymous mixed-methods online survey was used and data recorded from 647 women (mean age = 28.63, SD = 8.69). Results Across the full sample, 46.1% of women indicated they would wait 5 years for their next cervical screening, while 60.2% of HPV-vaccinated women would be unwilling to have as few as three cervical screens in a lifetime. Multivariate analysis revealed those who are regular screened, those who intend to attend when invited, and those who perceive greater personal risk of cervical cancer are less likely to accept a 5-year screening interval. Qualitative findings relating to benefits of extending intervals included convenience of less tests, less physical discomfort, and psychological distress. Concerns identified included the likelihood of developing illness, increased psychological distress relating to what may be happening in the body, and worries about increased risk of cervical cancer. Conclusion Women need clear and specific information about HPV timelines, their relationship with cancer risk, and the rationale for extending screening intervals

Covid Vaccine Hesitancy study

This project examines the social and psychological predictors of covid vaccine hesitancy in a large scale online survey of over 1000 people across Ireland and the UK