Eating and drinking habits of young London-based Irish men: a qualitative study.

This qualitative study is based on interviews with young Irish men living in London about their diets and their views on healthy eating. The data were analysed using combined thematic and discourse analysis. Interviewees gave various reasons for not adopting healthy eating habits, including the cost of healthy foods, their lack of time and ability to cook, and their prioritisation of drinking. Views about the status of different foods also affected their eating habits: they considered red meat, for instance, as ‘masculine’, while lighter foods associated with healthy diets were considered ‘feminine’

If I am woman, who are 'they'? The construction of 'other' feminisms

Characterizations of feminist identities are presented, represented and, arguably, misrepresented within current public debates and popular media. Issues of sameness and difference have come to the fore as both timely and politically relevant. This paper aims to address issues arising from engagement with feminisms, in particular those which we experience as 'other' but which, concurrently, resonate with many of our concerns. Conflicting views revolve around the viability of constructing stable political identities for women who elect to include the term 'feminist' in their selfdescription. These debates become increasingly complex when contextualized within relative power positionings of knowledge production in differing arenas. Drawing on the literature around the legitimization of gender and political identities, the authors reflect in this paper on the possibilities of engaging with these identities, both in our capacity of 'others', but also as individuals whose theoretical positioning resonates with the issues under consideration

Mother-infant separations in prison. A systematic attachment-focused review of the academic and grey literature

This review systematically searched UK academic and grey literature in relation to mother and child separation in prison. Attachment theory is referred to in current prison policy for mothers (PSO 4801, 2008), and could provide a framework linking policy and practice. Reviewing grey literature provided an opportunity to explore practice-based literature. 24 academic papers and 51 grey documents were reviewed. Use of attachment theory in the academic literature varied according to discipline, ranging from extensive use to no use. There was greater use of attachment theory in the grey literature. Despite linguistic differences, all documents highlighted the detrimental impact of separation on imprisoned mothers. However, specificity was lacking regarding support for mothers, and staff needs were overlooked. Given its use across the sparse research and practice literature, and its basis for policy, attachment theory could underpin theoretically informed support for imprisoned mothers separated from their infants and staff who support them

‘Overwhelmed and powerless’: Staff perspectives on mother-infant separations in English prisons

Imprisoned mothers are at increased risk for poor psychological health and psychological distress when separated from their children, so staff need to be highly skilled to support the women. However, there is a paucity of research focusing on staff experiences around sensitive issues such as mother-child separation. This study aimed to understand the challenges facing staff and how these might be addressed. This qualitative interview study explored the views and experiences of 24 prison-based staff in England working with female prisoners separated from their infants. Staff emphasised the challenges of working with separated mothers, specifically the emotional impact of this work, and the impact of the wider criminal justice system on their sense of agency. A focus on the experience of separation highlights the broader problem of incarcerating women in general. Reducing the number of mother-child separations would mitigate the impact on both women and staff

Non-suicidal self-harm amongst incarcerated men: a qualitative study

Purpose: To further understanding of the needs and motivations of incarcerated men who self-harm with no apparent suicidal intent. These have received little attention in research and policy, despite men accounting for a high and increasing proportion of self-harm in prisons. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 adult male prisoners with a recent history or thoughts of non-suicidal self-harm. The interviews were analysed drawing on principles of thematic analysis and discourse analysis. Findings: Against a backdrop of early traumatic experiences and more recent adverse events (including prison-related ones), self-harm was described by many as a desperate - but meaningful – coping strategy; both a means of releasing tension, sadness and frustration, and of being heard in an unresponsive system. Value: These findings echo those of research conducted with women (including women prisoners) who self-harm, but challenge some of the more negative ways in which non-suicidal male prisoner self-harm has been portrayed in the (scant) previous literature. As well as pointing to the need for greater awareness of the complex needs of men in prisons, they underscore the importance of (also) exploring - and perhaps addressing - the issue of self-harm separately from suicide, and of striving to make prisons, as well as prisoners, ‘healthier’ and better able to cope with pressure

Mother-infant separations in prison. A systematic attachment-focused policy review

Mothers in prison separated from their young children are an overlooked group. Attachment theory could provide a useful model to underpin interventions and better support women affected by separation from their infants. Current policy draws on a limited body of evidence and research has developed considerably since its first design. This review systematically searched all relevant UK prison policy and government documents with regards to mother and child separation in prison and analysed the extent to which these documents draw on attachment theory. Following initial searches, 58 documents were thematically analysed. Attachment was implicitly referred to in most documents but only explicitly mentioned in four. Global themes identified included ‘separation as trauma’. However, document groups varied in focusing either on the mother or the child and there were no joint perspectives. Developing and researching specific attachment-informed interventions might be one way forward as would further attachment-based research in this area

Evaluation of long-term counselling at a community health service for women who are on a low income

Aims. Given the lack of research evaluating long-term counselling, coupled with the lack of women-only counselling services, the present study evaluated the long-term counselling service offered by a women-only community health centre. Method. The research ascertained: 1) the characteristics of 155 service users pre-counselling, 2) the views and experiences of 75 service users post-counselling and 3) pre-post-counselling clinical change in 98 service users via the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation - Outcome Measure (CORE-OM). Results. Unemployment, low income and reports of abuse were related to poorer mental health as measured by the CORE-OM. Content analysis of open-ended questions revealed that women felt supported, comfortable and gained insight through the counselling relationship. They also reported positive changes in their lives, relationships, health behaviours, and psychological wellbeing. Post-counselling improvements were found in CORE-OM scores. Conclusions. Long-term counselling in a women-only environment for socially disempowered women may be beneficial. A research-informed approach to counselling and therapy evaluation, which acknowledges the social context of psychological distress, should be taken across institutions

A sanctuary of tranquillity in a ruptured world: evaluating long-term counselling at a women’s community health centre

The longitudinal study described in this article evaluated long-term counselling provided at a women’s health centre in the UK for service users on low incomes. The article focuses on the qualitative aspect of the study in which 59 women were interviewed individually before and/or after their counselling. The interviews explored how women make sense of long-term counselling in the context of their gendered experiences and complex needs. The data were analysed using thematic analysis informed by a feminist orientation and attachment theory. Four main themes emerged:‘violence and loss in the context of female oppression’, ‘a sanctuary for women’, ‘non-medicalised long-term counselling in a safe setting’, and ‘benefits of the long view’. Participants attributed various benefits to receiving long-term counselling in a women-only environment. These included gaining employment; reduced suicidal ideation, anxiety and depression; improved physical health, improved confidence and being able to make positive changes in their relationships. The women interviewed post-counselling valued long term-counselling in this context, in contrast to short-term therapy in a medicalised environment. Wider implications with regards to clinical practice and research are discussed

What do people do with porn? qualitative research into the consumption, use and experience of pornography and other sexually explicit media

This article reviews qualitative research into the consumption of pornography and other sexually explicit media emerging from a range of subject areas. Taking a critique of quantitative methods and a focus on measuring sexual effects and attitudes as a starting point, it considers the proposition that qualitative work is more suited to an examination of the complex social, cultural and political constructions of sexuality. Examining studies into the way men, women and young people see, experience, and use explicit media texts, the article identifies the key findings that have emerged. Qualitative work shows that sexuality explicit media texts are experienced and understood in a variety of ways and evoke strong and often contradictory reactions, not all of which are represented in public debates about pornography. These texts function in a range of different ways, depending on context; as a source of knowledge, a resource for intimate practices, a site for identity construction, and an occasion for performing gender and sexuality. The article reviews these studies and their findings, identifying what they suggest about directions for future research, both in terms of developing methodology and refining approaches to sexuality and media consumption.</p