Mapping Qualitative Research in Psychology across Europe : Contemporary Trends

In this special issue, we aim to introduce a mapping of qualitative research in psychology across European settings. Qualitative research in psychology constitutes a complex terrain, with a multiplicity of epistemological and methodological perspectives anchored to a diversity of historical, political, and socio-cultural settings. Despite recent progress toward the institutionalisation of qualitative research in certain countries, the landscape of qualitative research in psychology in Europe remains largely unexplored. Following a brief overview of qualitative research in psychology, we proceed with narrating the story of the “birth” of this special issue. We then briefly introduce the constellation of articles included in this special issue.We conclude with wider implications concerning the venture of establishing qualitative research in psychology in Europe

Young Women's Experiences of Health and Well-Being in a Postfeminist Social Media Culture: The MeStories Study Protocol

Introduction: To date, there is much controversy in the literature on the impacts of social media use on young women’s health and wellbeing. Alongside the massive popularity of platforms like Instagram and TikTok, the social media culture has become a key mediator of social discourses on health, femininities, bodies, and identities. In contemporary Western societies, the individual pursuit of health is highly valued, related to contemporary forms of governance that emphasize self-regulation, individual responsibility, and individual choice. Furthermore, postfeminist discourses strongly encourage women to engage in constant work on their body, health, and identity. In this context, it is imperative to understand how the contemporary social media culture relates to young women’s health, body, and sense of self. Aims: The overall aim of this study is to understand the role of a new social media culture on narrative constructions of a sense of self among young women in late adolescence, aged 18–20 years old, and, particularly the ways in which such narrative identities relate to experiences and practices involving health and wellbeing. Methods: In this 3-year research we adopt a social constructionist approach in critical health psychology focused on socio-culturally situated practices and meanings involved in the construction of human experience. We adopt a qualitative research approach - consisting of in-depth interviews, focus groups and photo elicitation techniques - with people self-identifying as women. Data analysis will employ both narrative and reflexive thematic analysis. Ethics and dissemination: The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Lausanne. Findings will be published in scientific journals, presented at meetings, and will serve for public health and educational purposes. Content in form of flyers and posts will be designed to communicate findings to participants via current social media platforms. FNS grant number: 10001F_201142/1

Collaborative medication management for older adults after hospital discharge: a qualitative descriptive study

Background : Safe medication management for older adults after hospital discharge requires a well-coordinated,interprofessional, patient-centered approach. This study aimed to describe the perceived needs for collaborative medication management for older adults taking several different medications at home after hospital discharge. Methods : A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with older adults (n = 28), informal (n = 17), and professional caregivers (n = 13). Results : Findings revealed four main needs: older adults and informal caregivers’ perceived needs for greater involvement in discharge planning; older adults’ perceived needs to be informed, listened to, and to be actively involved in decision-making; informal caregivers’ perceived needs for help in supporting and coordinating medication management; and older adults’ and informal and professional caregivers’ perceived needs for better communication and coordination between professional caregivers. Conclusion: This study revealed two underutilized pathways towards improving collaborative medication management: medication follow-up involving a community healthcare professional taking an overarching responsibility and empowering older adults and their informal caregivers in medication management after hospital discharge

Are Functional Measures Sufficient to Capture Acceptance? A Qualitative Study on Lower Limb Exoskeleton Use for Older People

Lower limb exoskeletons (LLE) are robotic devices developed to assist walk. In the field of healthcare, this technology has been available for almost a decade, yet it still faces important acceptance issues. While LLE were first developed for patients with spinal cord injuries, we expect their use to expand to everyday settings to benefit other populations, namely that of older people with reduced mobility (RM). We propose a qualitative approach to unearth key psychosocial themes on the acceptance of LLE in daily living for older people. The study analyses perceptions of older people with RM, as well as their entourage, including informal and professional caregivers. Using a grounded theory approach we analysed 12 semi-structured interviews with older people with RM; 2 focus groups with informal caregivers, and 2 focus groups with professional caregivers. LLE were introduced to participants through photo-elicitation. Older people with RM believed that LLE would increase their autonomy. They also perceived that using LLE would make them feel less of a burden for their entourage. Beyond these expected benefits, results captured participants' ambivalence, dependent on their experiences of the ageing process and perceptions on the human-machine interaction. Informal caregivers highlighted that LLE could provide important relief related to the burden of care. Nonetheless, professional caregivers raised the fear of LLE leading to dehumanization of care. While each group had specific concerns on how LLE use would impact their lives, psychosocial considerations played a key role in LLE acceptance

Faire une carrière scientifique, à quel prix ? « On renonce quand même à des choses et si c’est pour apprendre que tout ça aura été vain »

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L’interférence carrière scientifique-vie privée chez les chercheurs en début de parcours professionnel : une tension palpable

Les « jeunes » chercheurs sont sous pression. L’après-thèse est une période particulièrement critique dans la mesure où ils sont sommés d’être productif et mobile pour se distinguer dans un espace de forte concurrence, s’ils veulent prétendre à un poste définitif. Cet article apporte un éclairage sur la façon dont ces chercheurs postdoctorants vivent et gèrent leur carrière scientifique dans une situation de précarité de l’emploi et au sein d’une institution universitaire qui reste « gourmande »

Chercheur-e-s sous haute tension. Vitalité, compétitivité, précarité et (in)compatibilité travail/famille.

La Science, par ses contributions, découvertes, risques et espoirs, fait l’objet d’une attention médiatique et de nombreux débats. Mais qu’en est-il du vécu des scientifiques qui la font exister au quotidien ? On s’intéresse ici de manière spécifique à une nouvelle génération de docteurs ayant obtenu un mandat postdoctoral temporaire : les chargés de recherches du Fonds national de la recherche scientifique – FNRS – en Belgique. Ces scientifiques occupent une position intermédiaire entre le chercheur doctorant et le chercheur confirmé, et se situent dans une période cruciale de leur parcours de vie. La combinaison du plaisir que procure le travail scientifique, de la liberté qui le caractérise, du désir de rester dans le métier et de la forte concurrence pour des postes définitifs met ces chercheurs sous haute tension. L’étude questionne les règles et pratiques instituées (notamment le publish or perish et la mobilité internationale) qui filtrent l’accès des scientifiques aux rares mandats permanents. Ce filtre n’est pas socialement neutre car il implique des dimensions sociologiques telles que le genre, l’origine sociale ou la situation familiale des chercheurs. Cet ouvrage intéressera sans nul doute les professionnels de la recherche, qui y verront leur propre situation en miroir, mais également les décideurs et gestionnaires de la politique scientifique soucieux d’adapter celle-ci aux réalités que vivent les chercheurs aujourd’hui