"Quite simply they don't communicate': a case study of a National Health Service response to staff suicide

Workplace suicide can have significant knock-on effects within an organisation, yet research has shown within the healthcare profession, not all staff receive suicide prevention training, and few employers take the time to reflect on the need to change workplace policies or practices following the death of a staff member to suicide. How staff suicide is communicated across an organisation and to family members is important. Effective crisis communication is critical for effective management for a timely and sensitive response to a staff suicide within an organisation. By doing so, workplaces can help to reduce the significant emotional trauma suicide can have on an employee, and support good mental health across its workforce. This study aimed to explore and understand the communication processes around staff suicide across a National Health Service (NHS) Trust and to provide recommendations based on these findings. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 participants, each lasting approximately 90 min. The Consolidated criteria for Reporting Qualitative research guidelines were followed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, resulting in seven themes being identified based on communication. Findings indicated that the Trust had no clear communication strategy in place for tackling staff suicide. Each suicide was handled differently, training across staff roles was lacking and operational procedures were deemed insensitive. This paper aimed to provide insight into the communication strategies used in the aftermath of a staff suicide. These findings highlight the inconsistency of the communication, lack of clear policy and guidance and the negative impact this had on staff. Further research is needed across NHS Trusts nationwide to gain insight into the current communication strategies in place to develop a national approach to clear communication following the death of an NHS worker to suicide

Social norms and goal-setting interventions to promote responsible gambling in low-to-moderate online gamblers: protocol for a four-arm randomised controlled feasibility study

Introduction Gambling is increasingly recognised as an important public health issue. Problem gambling is associated with highly negative impacts on physical, psychological and social well-being, not only for those who gamble but also for those around them. There has been a rapid expansion of internet gambling and attributes such as continuous play and instant rewards, and enhanced privacy may lead to a greater likelihood of gambling-related harms. In this randomised controlled feasibility study, we are testing (1) the acceptability and feasibility of three online responsible gambling interventions targeting people with low-to-moderate risk of online problem gambling and (2) the feasibility of a future full-scale randomised controlled trial (RCT) to test their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Methods and analysis Four-arm randomised controlled feasibility study with qualitative substudy. One-hundred and forty UK residents with low-to-moderate risk of online gambling recruited via gambling operators and social media will be randomised (1:1:1:1) to either (1) goal setting, (2) descriptive norms messages (challenge perceptions of peer behaviours), (3) injunctive norms messages (challenge perceptions of peer attitudes) and (4) control (delayed intervention). Interventions will be delivered over 6 weeks and individually tailored. Outcomes, administered online, will be measured at baseline, 7 weeks, and 3 and 6 months post randomisation (including gambling risk behaviours and cognitions, anxiety and depression, quality of life, health use and productivity). Analyses will be descriptive, focusing on feasibility and acceptability of the interventions and study procedures. Telephone/online interviews, with a subsample of approximately 30 participants, will elicit experiences of participating in the study. Prespecified progression criteria will guide decisions around whether to progress to a definitive RCT. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval obtained from Bournemouth University Research Ethics Committee (reference number 33247). Participants will be given a participant information sheet plus a ‘Key Facts’ summary and will provide informed online consent. Findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences and public engagement events. Trial registration number ISRCTN37874344

Transparency in persuasive technology, immersive technology, and online marketing: Facilitating users’ informed decision making and practical implications

In the current age of emerging technologies and big data, transparency has become an important issue for technology users and online consumers. However, there is a lack of consensus on what constitutes transparency across domains of research, not to mention transparency guidelines for designers and marketers. In this review, we explored the question of what transparency means in current research and practices by reviewing the literature in three domains: persuasive technology, immersive technology and online marketing. Literature reviewed, including both empirical research and position articles, covered multidisciplinary areas including computer science and information technology, psychology, healthcare, human computer interaction, business and management, law and public health. In this paper, we summarized our findings through a framework of transparency and provided insights into the different aspects of transparency, categorized into ten themes (i.e., Organizational Transparency, Information Transparency, Transparency of System Design, Data Privacy and Informed Consent, Transparency of Online Advertising, Potential Risks, User Autonomy, Informed Decision Making, Information Visualization, Personalization and User-centered design) along three dimensions (i.e., Types of transparency, Impact on User and Potential Solutions). Addressing aspects of transparency will facilitate users’ autonomy and contribute to their informed decision making

There’s no I in team but there is a me: the influence of narcissism on team processes and organisational outcomes

As more and more organisations turn toward tasks focused around team-based structures to survive, a likely threat to team and organisational success lies with narcissistic team members. Narcissism is characterised by a grandiose sense of self-worth, and a dominant and manipulative interpersonal orientation. Although narcissism has been linked with organisational-relevant maladaptive behaviours, research has yet to reveal what, if any, influence narcissism has on teamwork behaviours (i.e., communication, management, intrapersonal, interpersonal skills) and processes (i.e., team cohesion, team conflict) that are associated with team and organisational outcomes (i.e., team performance). Moreover, an investigation of the breakdown of narcissism into its relatively bright (or adaptive) and dark (or maladaptive) sides and their subsequent association with these processes and outcomes is also lacking. Across three studies, I presented evidence that individuals high on traits associated with the dark side of narcissism (i.e., maladaptive narcissism, narcissistic rivalry, vulnerable narcissism) engaged in more harmful team-related behaviours, and were associated with poorer team processes (i.e., high levels of team conflict, low levels of team cohesion) and outcomes than individuals high on traits associated with the bright side of narcissism (i.e., adaptive narcissism, narcissistic admiration).In Study 1, participants were sampled from a variety of organisational backgrounds, which offered insight into narcissistic behaviours in corporate settings. However, these insights were limited by self-reported data and were nevertheless restricted to the individual-level of analysis. To replicate and expand upon these findings, Study 2 addressed narcissism in a novel team setting (i.e., a commercial escape room) and explored effects at the individual, relational, and team-levels of analysis. Round-robin analyses were used to explore effects at the relational-level of analysis, and aggregated scores of narcissism and team-related processes were used to explore effects at the team-level of analysis. Similar to the individual-level findings, team-level dark narcissism was associated with poorer team processes (i.e., high levels of team-level conflict, low levels of teamlevel cohesion) and poorer team performance than team-level bright narcissism. These findings were coupled with round-robin analyses, which captured the unique interindividual differences in team member ratings of narcissistic individuals. Albeit original, the findings were limited by a small sample size and a small number of teams. To replicate and expand upon these findings, Study 3 examined narcissism in a larger sample with more teams, and explored the longitudinal influence of narcissism within the team setting. Most results from the previous studies were replicated, and some novel findings emerged. For example, contrary to the literature, narcissists were rated more favourably by their team members over time. Likewise, both bright and dark sides of narcissism were positively associated with team performance. Self-enhancement theory and research on narcissistic performance in team settings were called upon for explanation. Taken together, the results of this PhD thesis are instructive and heed a warning for organisations: Narcissism is an important personality trait to understand and monitor in the workplace. Implications and avenues for future research are provided

The Volcano

Förskolan Vulkanen Det här projektet handlar om rum för lärande och mer specifikt en förskoleverksamhet i Vasalund, Solna. Jag har fördjupat mig i Reggio Emilia-pedagogiken och fokuserat på hur den fysiska miljön kan verka som ett pedagogiskt hjälpmedel. Projektet har en stark förankring i det omkringliggande landskapet. Vasalund är ett område i vilket huvuddelen av bebyggelsen uppfördes under 1930-talet. En blandning av mindre flerfamiljshus och 3-4 våningar höga hyreshuslängor gör Vasalund till ett område rikt på variation. Inget hus är det andra likt och den omkringliggande naturen är vild och grön, vilket ger platsen ett starkt upplevelsevärde. När jag besökte tomten för första gången for tankarna direkt till sagornas värld. Utöver den pedagogiska filosofin har jag influerats av sagornas värld, de omkringliggande villahusen och platsens topografi i gestaltningsarbetet. I sagorna är naturen ofta besjälad och det genomsyrar den här förskolan, framförallt dess yttre vulkaniska form. Byggnaden är en förlängning av landskapet och hem åt en förskoleverksamhet som med hjälp av byggnadens form och rumsliga organisation ska stimulera några av Reggio Emilia-pedagogikens grundpelare såsom kreativt skapande, fantasi samt aktiv och självständig lek. Hela förskolan präglas av en lek mellan ute och inne som är tänkt att uppmuntra barnen till att upptäcka sin egen omgivning. Förskolan vulkanen får sin form av ett stort snedvridet tak klätt i träshingel. Inunder taket finns en uppbruten volym i två plan och på markplan löper ett trädäck runt hela byggnaden i linje med taket. På så vis skapas uterum och spännande siktlinjer inuti byggnaden. Rörelsen i byggnaden centreras till byggnadens mitt - både horisontellt och vertikalt. Förskolans hjärta är ateljén på plan två där ett stort takfönster, liknande en vulkankrater, släpper in ljus. De lugnare rummen ligger i linje med trädgården och har utsikt mot den lummiga trädgården där fyra små kojor i barnens skala skapar en spännande lekmiljö; en vulkan, ett berg, en blomma och en gran. Samtliga beklädda i träshingel för att följa samma tema: tak som landskap.The Volcano This project is about room for learning and more specifically a preschool in Vasalund, Solna. I have focused on the Reggio Emilia approach, which is an educational philosophy focused on preschool education. My aim has been to create a preschool that by its physical environment truly reflects the vision of the educational philosophy. In the design process I’ve been taking a lot of inspiration from the surrounding landscape and the topography of the site. When I first visited the site I directly thought about a fairy tale world, which has been a good source of inspiration when designing for children. In fairy tales nature is often enchanted and my aim has been to reflect that in architecture. This pre-school has a volcanic shape and can be seen as an extension of the landscape. The main structure is a warped wood shingle roof with a large roof window in the middle, shaped like a volcanic crater. The shape of the building as well as its spatial organization stimulate the pillars of the Reggio Emilia approach, such as creativity, imagination and active and independent play. The entire preschool is characterized by a playful relationship between the inside and the outside that is meant to encourage children to discover their own surroundings. In the garden there are four small huts following the same theme; a volcano, a mountain, a flower and a tree

Social norms and goal-setting interventions to promote responsible gambling in low-to-moderate online gamblers: protocol for a four-arm randomised controlled feasibility study

Introduction Gambling is increasingly recognised as an important public health issue. Problem gambling is associated with highly negative impacts on physical, psychological and social well-being, not only for those who gamble but also for those around them. There has been a rapid expansion of internet gambling and attributes such as continuous play and instant rewards, and enhanced privacy may lead to a greater likelihood of gambling-related harms. In this randomised controlled feasibility study, we are testing (1) the acceptability and feasibility of three online responsible gambling interventions targeting people with low-to-moderate risk of online problem gambling and (2) the feasibility of a future full-scale randomised controlled trial (RCT) to test their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.Methods and analysis Four-arm randomised controlled feasibility study with qualitative substudy. One-hundred and forty UK residents with low-to-moderate risk of online gambling recruited via gambling operators and social media will be randomised (1:1:1:1) to either (1) goal setting, (2) descriptive norms messages (challenge perceptions of peer behaviours), (3) injunctive norms messages (challenge perceptions of peer attitudes) and (4) control (delayed intervention). Interventions will be delivered over 6 weeks and individually tailored. Outcomes, administered online, will be measured at baseline, 7 weeks, and 3 and 6 months post randomisation (including gambling risk behaviours and cognitions, anxiety and depression, quality of life, health use and productivity). Analyses will be descriptive, focusing on feasibility and acceptability of the interventions and study procedures. Telephone/online interviews, with a subsample of approximately 30 participants, will elicit experiences of participating in the study. Prespecified progression criteria will guide decisions around whether to progress to a definitive RCT.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval obtained from Bournemouth University Research Ethics Committee (reference number 33247). Participants will be given a participant information sheet plus a ‘Key Facts’ summary and will provide informed online consent. Findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences and public engagement events.Trial registration number ISRCTN37874344

Genome-wide High-Density SNP-Based Linkage Analysis of Infantile Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis Identifies Loci on Chromosomes 11q14-q22 and Xq23

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) has an incidence of 1–8 per 1000 live births and is inherited as a complex sex-modified multifactorial trait with a striking male preponderance. Syndromic and monogenic forms exist, and two loci have been identified. Infants present with vomiting due to gastric-outlet obstruction caused by hypertrophy of the smooth muscle of the pylorus. A genome-wide SNP-based high-density linkage scan was carried out on 81 IHPS pedigrees. Nonparametric and parametric linkage analysis identified loci on chromosomes 11q14-q22 (Zmax = 3.9, p < 0.0001; HLODmax = 3.4, α = 0.34) and Xq23 (Zmax = 4.3, p < 0.00001; HLODmax = 4.8, α = 0.56). The two linked chromosomal regions each harbor functional candidate genes that are members of the canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) family of ion channels and have a potential role in smooth-muscle control and hypertrophy

‘No evidence of harm’ implies no evidence of safety: Framing the lack of causal evidence in gambling advertising research

From Crossref journal articles via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2023-09-20, accepted 2023-09-22, epub 2023-11-12, issued 2023-11-12, published 2023-11-12Article version: VoRPublication status: Publishe