Using a modified version of photovoice in a European cross‐national study on homelessness

This study proposes an innovative use of a modified version of photovoice for cross‐national qualitative research that allows participants to express their ideas, experiences, and emotions about a topic through photographic language. We examine factors affecting social service providers' work on people experiencing homelessness in Europe. We highlight five advantages of using photovoice in cross‐national research: visual language, methodological flexibility, participatory data analysis, the bottom‐up process, and the promotion of social change. Moreover, we identify key stages of the process: writing a detailed protocol for the implementation and fidelity of the projects, using two levels of data analysis, and disseminating the results. This study provides lessons learned for others who may want to use photovoice in cross‐national research.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The efficacy of a web-based gambling intervention program for high school students: A preliminary randomized study

Early onset in adolescent gambling involvement can be a precipitator of later gambling problems. The aim of the present study was to test the preliminary efficacy of a web-based gambling intervention program for students within a high school-based setting. Students attending a high school in Italy (N=168) participated in the present study (58% male–age, M=15.01; SD=0.60). Twelve classes were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: intervention ( N=6; 95 students) and control group (N=6; 73 students). Both groups received personalized feedback and then the intervention group received online training (interactive activities) for three weeks. At a two-month follow-up, students in the intervention group reported a reduction in gambling problems relative to those in the control group. However, there were no differences in gambling frequency, gambling expenditure, and attitudes toward the profitability of gambling between the two groups. In addition, frequent gamblers (i.e., those that gambled at least once a week at baseline) showed reductions in gambling problems and gambling frequency post- intervention. Frequent gamblers that only received personalized feedback showed significantly less realistic attitudes toward the profitability of gambling post-intervention. The present study is the first controlled study to test the preliminary efficacy of a web-based gambling intervention program for students within a high school-based setting. The results indicate that a brief web-based intervention delivered in the school setting may be a potentially promising strategy for a low-threshold, low-cost, preventive tool for at-risk gambling high school students

Factors associated with providers’ work engagement and burnout in homeless services: A cross‐national study

The complexity of homeless service users' characteristics and the contextual challenges faced by services can make the experience of working with people in homelessness stressful and can put providers' well-being at risk. In the current study, we investigated the association between service characteristics (i.e., the availability of training and supervision and the capability-fostering approach) and social service providers' work engagement and burnout. The study involved 497 social service providers working in homeless services in eight different European countries (62% women; mean age = 40.73, SD = 10.45) and was part of the Horizon 2020 European study "Homelessness as Unfairness (HOME_EU)." Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), findings showed that the availability of training and supervision were positively associated with providers' work engagement and negatively associated with burnout. However, results varied based on the perceived usefulness of the training and supervision provided within the service and the specific outcome considered. The most consistent finding was the association between the degree to which a service promotes users' capabilities and all the aspects of providers' well-being analyzed. Results are discussed in relation to their implications for how configuration of homeless services can promote social service providers' well-being and high-quality care.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Working with people experiencing homelessness in Europe

In Europe, the widespread transition from the Traditional Staircase (TS) model to the Housing First (HF) model is transforming the way social service providers work with people experiencing homelessness. This study examined social service providers’ perspectives in both models regarding factors that facilitate or hinder their work. Data were collected through 17 photovoice projects involving 81 social service providers from eight European countries. The results show factors affecting social service providers’ work at three levels: systemic, organizational, and individual. Professionals in TS and HF identified similar topics; however, TS providers discussed more obstacles to work. Implications for practice are discussed.Comissão Européiainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Psychometric properties of the measure of achieved capabilities in homeless services

Background Purposeful participation in personally meaningful life tasks, enjoyment of positive reciprocal relationships, and opportunities to realize one’s potential are growth-related aspects of a meaningful life that should be considered important dimensions of recovery from homelessness. The extent to which homeless services support individuals to achieve the capabilities they need to become who they want to be and do what they want to do is, in turn, an important indicator of their efectiveness. In this study, we developed a measure of achieved capabilities (MACHS) for use in homeless services settings, and assessed its construct and concurrent validity. Methods We analysed data collected from homeless services users at two time points in eight European countries to assess the factor structure and psychometric properties of the new measure. Participants were adults engaged with either Housing First (n=245) or treatment as usual (n=320). Results Exploratory and confrmatory factor analyses yielded a four-factor structure of the capabilities measure: community integration, optimism, safety, and self-determination. We obtained evidence for construct validity through observed correlations between achieved capabilities and recovery, working alliance and satisfaction with services. Moreover, we obtained evidence of the measure’s concurrent validity from its positive association between HF and personal recovery, which was fully mediated by achieved capabilities. Conclusions Findings demonstrate that the MACHS is a valid and reliable measure that may be used to assess the extent to which homeless services support their clients to develop capabilities needed for growth-related recovery. Implications for practice and future research directions are discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Prediction of the dynamic behaviour and migration rates of sand waves in the Monterey Canyon System of California

This research focus on the sand wave field along the canyon axis in the upper 4 km of the Monterey Submarine Canyon revealed by high-resolution multibeam bathymetry collected by MBARI/Mapping Lab of the California State University (http://seafloor.csumb.edu/), spanning six years period (spring 2003 to fall 2008). The goal of the research is to understand how erosion, gravitative processes, sediment liquefaction by storm events, sediment transport by tidal currents, and deposition of the reworked sediment are connected in distal basins with quasi-horizontal floors. Morphometric analysis has been conducted on the sand wave on the canyon head and main axes comparing the waves shape of nearest surveys by means of smoothing filtering and geostatistical techniques. The analysis has allowed to classify the canyon floor in upstream migration zones, downstream migration zones, and completely reworked zones. In the first two zones a sand migration velocity has been inferred, and in the last ones, where the wave field is completely reworked between each surveys, a minimum admissible migration velocity has been deducted. A simple mathematical model has then permitted to reproduce the main features of sand wave inception and growth. In particular the model focus on the prediction of the migration rates that sand waves undergo because of tidal currents. The model output has been compared versus the morphometric analysis results and match and mismatch are discussed. Results of the research show that the sand waves migrate in a predominantly up-canyon direction with tidal and internal tidal currents, despite different behaviour along the canyon. However the research shows that these are not the dominating flows within the canyon. Seismic profiles interpretation, other morphometric analysis results like local channel widening causing lateral erosion of older channel and extension of gully head on canyon walls and rim, point out high velocity transport processes in the canyon main axes. This mechanism can be related to storm events and gravitative processes, possibly triggered by seismic events, as suggested by the slope stability analysis. Moreover, the liquefaction potential analysis of the poorly consolidated sediments characterising the canyon’s head suggests that pore fluid overpressures may develop during earthquake shaking (i.e. earthquakes with peak ground acceleration (PGA) > 0.18 - about 50% of the PGA related to the 1989 M 7.1 Loma Prieta earthquake), further contributing to the destabilization of the canyon slope