Therapists\u27 experiences of alliance formation in short-term counselling

While therapeutic alliance formation has been widely researched over many sessions of psychotherapy, the question of alliance formation in short-term counselling has been less explored. Given the increasing evidence in the literature for the positive impact of alliances on therapy outcomes, providing counsellors - who may work with clients for a limited number of sessions - with enhanced insight into alliance formation will be of value. This qualitative study investigated the experiences of eight counsellors forming alliances with clients over short periods. Semi-structured interviews were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Five major themes emerged, that while congruent with the alliance literature, add some details relevant to day-to-day practice. These themes included: the importance of strong alliances; the need for psychologically comfortable environments; the timing of alliance formation; and the impact of counsellor personal qualities - such as being real - in strengthening and maintaining alliances. In addition, an unexpected sixth theme revealed that body language was highly valued as an indicator of strong or weak alliances. Implications for increasing the use of body language to enhance counselling practice and education are discussed

Developing a Culture of Care within Primary Physical Education in Higher Education

This thesis constitutes an explanation for how a reconceptualization of primary physical education (PPE) as a practice of care might contribute to human flourishing and well-being. The research is presented as an account of what worked for me, as a teacher educator, as I investigated and theorised my PPE practice in higher education (HE) and in primary schools. In doing so, I aimed to generate understanding of new or improved processes that might encourage trainee and qualified teachers to become more confident and competent in their teaching of PPE, alongside greater understanding about what the concept `care’ means and how it is practised. The thesis contains a narrative of personal and collaborative learning throughout three interconnected action research cycles. The guiding principles of action research, which seek to generate knowledge through collaborative research for personal and social improvement, provided the necessary means to realise my educational values of care, inclusion and emancipation in action and the development of caring relationships. Each cycle explores the emergence of a more humanistic-orientated practice as I moved from a conceptual form of caring about standards of teaching and people’s performance within PPE, towards a more inclusive, trusting and communal practice that values the process of learning and encourages people to care with one another. The research presents the possibility for practitioners to critique their own practice to allow personal and professional tensions to emerge and be negotiated and tested, demanding appropriate and contextualised choices to be made in regard to the well-being of self and others. It also offers potential connections between personal values and research-based curriculum aims and purposes which may contribute to new forms of thinking among those teaching PPE, Higher Education personnel and policy makers, so a caring practice as a basis for social action for emancipatory change may develop

Analysis of a hierarchial Bayesian method for quantitative trait loci

Simulations were performed to compare two methods that detect quantitative trait loci on plant data. Karl Broman’s interval mapping algorithm which uses only one observation value per plant line was compared to a hierarchical Bayesian model that allows replicates into the analysis and takes into account the variability within each plant line. The simulation study utilized the genetic map of Bay-0 X Shahdara plant with 38 genetic markers on 5 chromosomes. It is shown through these simulations that the hierarchical Bayesian model and Broman’s interval mapping algorithm are able to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) when only a single location was chosen, but the hierarchical model was more powerful when two locations were chosen. This work shows that when analyzing plant replicates the variability within each line has a strong impact on the success of the overall analyses

Heparan sulfate deficiency in autistic postmortem brain tissue from the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles

Abnormal cellular growth and organization have been characterized in postmortem tissue from brains of autistic individuals, suggestive of pathology in a critical neurogenic niche, the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the brain lateral ventricles (LV). We examined cellular organization, cell proliferation, and constituents of the extracellular matrix such as N-sulfated heparan sulfate (HS) and laminin (LAM) in postmortem brain tissue from the LV-SVZ of young to elderly individuals with autism (n = 4) and age-matched typically developing (TD) individuals (n = 4) using immunofluorescence techniques. Strong and systematic reductions in HS immunofluorescence were observed in the LV-SVZ of the TD individuals with increasing age. For young through mature, but not elderly, autistic pair members, HS was reduced compared to their matched TDs. Cellular proliferation (Ki67+) was higher in the autistic individual of the youngest age-matched pair. These preliminary data suggesting that HS may be reduced in young to mature autistic individuals are in agreement with previous findings from the BTBR T+tf/J mouse, an animal model of autism; from mice with genetic modifications reducing HS; and with genetic variants in HS-related genes in autism. They suggest that aberrant extracellular matrix glycosaminoglycan function localized to the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles may be a biomarker for autism, and potentially involved in the etiology of the disorder

Using Digital Technology for Sexual and Reproductive Health: Are Programs Adequately Considering Risk?

Digital technologies provide opportunities for advancing sexual and reproductive health and services but also present potential risks. We propose 4 steps to reducing potential harms: (1) consider potential harms during intervention design, (2) mitigate or minimize potential harms during the design phase, (3) measure adverse outcomes during implementation, and (4) plan how to support those reporting adverse outcomes

Global assessment of impacts on migration and security issues

HELIX - High-End cLimate Impacts and eXtreme

Primary care contact prior to suicide in individuals with mental illness

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported differing rates of consultation with GPs prior to suicide. Patients with a psychiatric history have higher rates of consultation and consult closer to the time of their death. AIM: To investigate the frequency and nature of general practice consultations in the year before suicide for patients in current, or recent, contact with secondary mental health services. DESIGN OF STUDY: Retrospective case-note study and semi-structured interviews. SETTING: General practices in the northwest of England. METHOD: General practice data were obtained by a retrospective review of medical records (n = 247) and semi-structured interviews with GPs (n = 159). RESULTS: GP records were reviewed in 247 of the 286 cases (86%). Overall, 91% of individuals (n = 224) consulted their GP on at least one occasion in the year before death. The median number of consultations was 7 (interquartile range = 3–10). Interviews were carried out with GPs with regard to 159 patients. GPs reported concerns about their patient's safety in 43 (27%) cases, but only 16% of them thought that the suicide could have been prevented. Agreement between GPs and mental health teams regarding risk of suicide was poor. Both sets of clinicians rated moderate to high levels of risk in only 3% of cases for whom information was available (n = 139) (overall κ = 0.024). CONCLUSION: Consultation prior to suicide is common but suicide prevention in primary care is challenging. Possible strategies might include examining the potential benefits of risk assessment and collaborative working between primary and secondary care