How might parents of pre-pubescent children with gender identity issues understand their experience?

Whilst in recent times there has been an increasing interest in the popular media in families with gender variant children, there is still a paucity of academic research into the experience of parenting a pre-pubescent child with gender identity issues. Gender dysphoria in young children engenders powerful reactions in adults, involving the recognition of childhood sexuality, a subject matter considered taboo in Western society. As such, this research explores highly sensitive and intimate aspects of family life, requiring parents to talk and think about difficult issues. This small scale study adopts a case study design in order to explore how it might feel for families attending the Gender Identity Development Service at the Tavistock Clinic, London to parent such a child. Through acting as a ‘bricoleur’ (Denzin & Lincoln: 2000: p3) different and contrasting research methods and theories of gender identity development are explored in order to shed light on this under-researched and hidden area of parental experience. Eight parents were interviewed and their narratives are presented as case studies which can both stand-alone as individual pieces of research, and be understood as a cogent group with overarching themes. Psychosocial research methods of Free Association Narrative Interviews and photo elicitation were used in order to gather the data which was then coded and analysed drawing on the principles of Charmaz’ (2001) constructivist version of grounded theory. Particular attention is also given to unconscious processes that might have been at play between researcher and interviewee such as transference, countertransference and containment. Five key themes relating to the process of mourning emerged from the data: loss, uncertainty, ambivalence, being unable to think and acceptance. Recommendations for both social work and clinical practice and further research are also offered

The benefits of psychoeducation for improving sleep quality

With large numbers of students reporting difficulties with sleep, Claire Gregor, Luci Wiggs and Aileen Ho set out to explore whether psychoeducational input on sleep hygiene might help them achieve improved quality of rest. Their research produced some interesting results

How might parents of pre-pubescent children with gender identity issues understand their experience?

Whilst in recent times there has been an increasing interest in the popular media in families with gender variant children, there is still a paucity of academic research into the experience of parenting a pre-pubescent child with gender identity issues. Gender dysphoria in young children engenders powerful reactions in adults, involving the recognition of childhood sexuality, a subject matter considered taboo in Western society. As such, this research explores highly sensitive and intimate aspects of family life, requiring parents to talk and think about difficult issues. This small scale study adopts a case study design in order to explore how it might feel for families attending the Gender Identity Development Service at the Tavistock Clinic, London to parent such a child. Through acting as a ‘bricoleur’ (Denzin & Lincoln: 2000: p3) different and contrasting research methods and theories of gender identity development are explored in order to shed light on this under-researched and hidden area of parental experience. Eight parents were interviewed and their narratives are presented as case studies which can both stand-alone as individual pieces of research, and be understood as a cogent group with over- arching themes. Psychosocial research methods of Free Association Narrative Interviews and photo elicitation were used in order to gather the data which was then coded and analysed drawing on the principles of Charmaz’ (2001) constructivist version of grounded theory. Particular attention is also given to unconscious processes that might have been at play between researcher and interviewee such as transference, counter- transference and containment. Five key themes relating to the process of mourning emerged from the data: loss, uncertainty, ambivalence, being unable to think and acceptance. Recommendations for both social work and clinical practice and further research are also offered

Learning Community Psychology Practice Competencies: Student Pathways through the Applied Community Psychology Specialization

Community psychology practice competencies provide a framework of skills students can learn to promote social change processes in communities. However, there is great overlap and cross-over of skill sets among some competencies. The complex nature of learning any competency will likely take multiple learning experiences to master and span years beyond a student’s exit from training to achieve expertise. Programs training students in practice competencies can benefit from working collaboratively with students to better understand how students develop experience and skill in utilizing competencies across the curriculum. This article explores five narrative accounts of how students and graduates learned selected community psychology practice competencies through their training in the Applied Community Psychology (ACP) specialization at Antioch University Los Angeles. Students and graduates were asked to select a competency and write a two-page narrative of how they learned the competency through their training in the ACP specialization. Implications for academic program development and training in community psychology practice competencies are discussed

Learning Community Psychology Practice Competencies: Student Pathways through the Applied Community Psychology Specialization

Community psychology practice competencies provide a framework of skills students can learn to promote social change processes in communities. However, there is great overlap and cross-over of skill sets among some competencies. The complex nature of learning any competency will likely take multiple learning experiences to master and span years beyond a student’s exit from training to achieve expertise. Programs training students in practice competencies can benefit from working collaboratively with students to better understand how students develop experience and skill in utilizing competencies across the curriculum. This article explores five narrative accounts of how students and graduates learned selected community psychology practice competencies through their training in the Applied Community Psychology (ACP) specialization at Antioch University Los Angeles. Students and graduates were asked to select a competency and write a two-page narrative of how they learned the competency through their training in the ACP specialization. Implications for academic program development and training in community psychology practice competencies are discussed

Tuning the High-Pressure Phase Behaviour of Highly Compressible Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks: From Discontinuous to Continuous Pore Closure by Linker Substitution

The high‐pressure behaviour of flexible zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) of the ZIF‐62 family with the chemical composition M(im)(2−x )(bim)(x) is presented (M(2+)=Zn(2+), Co(2+); im(−)=imidazolate; bim(−)=benzimidazolate, 0.02≤x≤0.37). High‐pressure powder X‐ray diffraction shows that the materials contract reversibly from an open pore ( op ) to a closed pore ( cp ) phase under a hydrostatic pressure of up to 4000 bar. Sequentially increasing the bim(−) fraction (x) reinforces the framework, leading to an increased threshold pressure for the op ‐to‐ cp phase transition, while the total volume contraction across the transition decreases. Most importantly, the typical discontinuous op ‐to‐ cp transition (first order) changes to an unusual continuous transition (second order) for x≥0.35. This allows finetuning of the void volume and the pore size of the material continuously by adjusting the pressure, thus opening new possibilities for MOFs in pressure‐switchable devices, membranes, and actuators

The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on fermented foods

An expert panel was convened in September 2019 by The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) to develop a definition for fermented foods and to describe their role in the human diet. Although these foods have been consumed for thousands of years, they are receiving increased attention among biologists, nutritionists, technologists, clinicians and consumers. Despite this interest, inconsistencies related to the use of the term ‘fermented’ led the panel to define fermented foods and beverages as “foods made through desired microbial growth and enzymatic conversions of food components”. This definition, encompassing the many varieties of fermented foods, is intended to clarify what is (and is not) a fermented food. The distinction between fermented foods and probiotics is further clarified. The panel also addressed the current state of knowledge on the safety, risks and health benefits, including an assessment of the nutritional attributes and a mechanistic rationale for how fermented foods could improve gastrointestinal and general health. The latest advancements in our understanding of the microbial ecology and systems biology of these foods were discussed. Finally, the panel reviewed how fermented foods are regulated and discussed efforts to include them as a separate category in national dietary guidelines