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1 – 10 of 26Jean Morrissey, Louise Doyle and Agnes Higgins
The purpose of this paper is to examine the discourses that shape nurses’ understanding of self-harm and explore strategies for working with people who self-harm in a relational…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the discourses that shape nurses’ understanding of self-harm and explore strategies for working with people who self-harm in a relational and a recovery-oriented manner.
Design/methodology/approach
Self-harm is a relatively common experience for a cohort of people who present to the mental health services and is, therefore, a phenomenon that mental health nurses will be familiar with. Traditionally, however, mental health nurses’ responses to people who self-harm have been largely framed by a risk adverse and biomedical discourse which positions self-harm as a “symptom” of a diagnosed mental illness, most often borderline personality disorder.
Findings
This has led to the development of largely unhelpful strategies to eliminate self-harm, often in the absence of real therapeutic engagement, which can have negative outcomes for the person. Attitudes towards those who self-harm amongst mental health nurses can also be problematic, particularly when those who hurt themselves are perceived to be attention seeking and beyond help. This, in turn, has a negative impact on treatment outcomes and future help-seeking intentions.
Research limitations/implications
Despite some deficiencies in how mental health nurses respond to people who self-harm, it is widely recognised that they have an important role to play in self-harm prevention reduction and harm minimisation.
Practical implications
By moving the focus of practice away from the traditional concept of “risk” towards co-constructed collaborative safety planning, mental health nurses can respond in a more embodied individualised and sensitive manner to those who self-harm.
Originality/value
This paper adds further knowledge and understanding to assist nurses’ understanding and working with people who self-harm in a relational and a recovery-oriented manner.
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Jan de Vries, Carmel Downes, Danika Sharek, Louise Doyle, Rebecca Murphy, Thelma Begley, Edward McCann, Fintan Sheerin, Siobhan Smyth and Agnes Higgins
People who identify as transgender face stigma, isolation and harassment while often struggling to come to terms with their gender identity. They also disproportionately…
Abstract
Purpose
People who identify as transgender face stigma, isolation and harassment while often struggling to come to terms with their gender identity. They also disproportionately experience mental health difficulties. The purpose of this paper is to present the voices of transgender people in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) in regard to the issues they are facing, improvements they would like to see made to schools, workplaces, services and society in general and whether mental health supports fulfil their needs.
Design/methodology/approach
Ten open questions were embedded within a quantitative online survey (LGBTIreland study) on factors impacting social inclusion, mental health and care. These open questions were re-analysed with exclusive focus on the transgender participants (n = 279) using content/thematic analysis.
Findings
The participants in this study reported significant signs of mental distress. The following themes emerged: impact of stigma, deficiencies in mental health services, need for education on transgender identity, importance of peer support, achieving self-acceptance and societal inclusion questioned.
Research limitations/implications
Efforts to recruit young participants have led to a possible over-representation in this study.
Practical implications
The findings suggest the need for improvement in mental health support services, including further education in how to meet the needs of transgender individuals.
Social implications
Transgender people in Ireland experience social exclusion. The need for more inclusivity was emphasised most in secondary schools. Education on transgender identities in all contexts of society is recommended by the participants.
Originality/value
This study reports on the largest group of transgender participants to date in RoI. Their voices will affect perceptions on social inclusion and mental health care.
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Jennifer Barry, Christine Monahan, Sharon Ferguson, Kelley Lee, Ruth Kelly, Mark Monahan, Rebecca Murphy, Patrick Gibbons and Agnes Higgins
The purpose of this paper is to provide first-hand reflective narratives from participants of their involvement in the overall process, with particular reference to the benefits…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide first-hand reflective narratives from participants of their involvement in the overall process, with particular reference to the benefits and challenges of engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
Five participants agreed to write a reflective piece of approximately 500 words on their involvement in the PhotoVoice project.
Findings
The reflective narratives in this paper demonstrate the personal and professional benefits of sustained and meaningful engagement, while challenges such as power imbalances, identity management, time and cost commitments are discussed.
Practical implications
PhotoVoice is a methodology that has the potential to democratise knowledge production and dissemination.
Originality/value
There are scant examples in the PhotoVoice literature of the inclusion of participants involvement in dissemination activities. The reflective narratives in this paper demonstrate the personal and professional benefits of sustained and meaningful engagement, while challenges such as power imbalances, identity management, time and cost commitments are discussed.
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Ann-Marie Bright, Agnes Higgins and Annmarie Grealish
There has been a move towards the implementation of digital/e-health interventions for some time. Digital/e-health interventions have demonstrable efficacy in increasing…
Abstract
Purpose
There has been a move towards the implementation of digital/e-health interventions for some time. Digital/e-health interventions have demonstrable efficacy in increasing individual empowerment, providing timely access to psychological interventions for those experiencing mental ill-health and improving outcomes for those using them. This study aims to determine the efficacy of digital/e-health interventions for individuals detained in prison who experience mental ill-health.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic search of five academic databases – CINAHL, ASSIA, PsycINFO, Embase and Medline – was completed in December 2020 and updated in February 2022. The review was guided by the Whittemore and Knafl (2005) framework for integrative reviews. A total of 6,255 studies were returned and screened by title and abstract. A full-text screening of nine (n = 9) studies was conducted.
Findings
No study met the inclusion criteria for the clinical efficacy of digital/e-health interventions in a prison setting. Subsequently, a review of the literature that made it to the full-text review stage was conducted, and gaps in the literature were identified to inform policy, practice and future research.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first integrative review conducted on the efficacy of digital/e-health interventions for mental ill-health in prison settings.
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Brian Keogh, Padraig McBennett, Jan deVries, Agnes Higgins, Marie O’Shea and Louise Doyle
The purpose of this paper is to report on the evaluation of a one-day mental health wellness workshop which was delivered to male prisoners in an urban prison in the Republic of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on the evaluation of a one-day mental health wellness workshop which was delivered to male prisoners in an urban prison in the Republic of Ireland.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed methods approach was used to evaluate the workshop. This paper presents the findings of the qualitative arm of the evaluation. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured telephone interviews with ten participants who had completed the programme.
Findings
The participants were overwhelmingly positive about the wellness workshop and the qualitative interviews articulated the ways that the workshop impacted on their ability to manage their own and other peoples mental health.
Originality/value
As prisons attempt to limit the negative impact of prison life, implementing recovery orientated approaches such as the wellness workshop can have a positive impact on prisoners’ mental health as well as raising their awareness and improving their attitudes towards mental distress and suicide. The concepts of self-help and peer support, espoused by the workshop offer a real opportunity to equip interested prisoners with skills to support themselves and other prisoners who are in distress.
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Ann-Marie Bright, Agnes Higgins and Annmarie Grealish
The rate of female committals to prison has grown rapidly in recent years. Women in prison are likely to have trauma histories and difficulties with their mental health. This…
Abstract
Purpose
The rate of female committals to prison has grown rapidly in recent years. Women in prison are likely to have trauma histories and difficulties with their mental health. This paper aims to synthesise the findings of qualitative literature to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of women in the context of prison-based mental health care.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic search of five academic databases, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, Psychological Information Database (PsycINFO), Excerpta Medica DataBASE (EMBASE) and Medline, was completed in December 2020. This study’s search strategy identified 4,615 citations, and seven studies were included for review. Thomas and Harden’s (2008) framework for thematic synthesis was used to analyse data. Quality appraisal was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Qualitative Research (Lockwood et al., 2015).
Findings
Four analytic themes were identified that detail women’s experiences of prison-based mental health care: the type of services accessed and challenges encountered; a reduction in capacity to self-manage mental well-being; the erosion of privacy and dignity; and strained relationships with prison staff. There is a paucity of research conducted with women in the context of prison-based mental health care. The findings suggest there is a need for greater mental health support, including the need to enhance relationships between women and prison staff to promote positive mental health.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic review conducted on the experiences of women in the context of prison-based mental health care.
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W. Edwards Deming was revered as a technical genius in the areas of mathematics, statistics, and statistical variation. Though largely known for his professional achievements, the…
Abstract
W. Edwards Deming was revered as a technical genius in the areas of mathematics, statistics, and statistical variation. Though largely known for his professional achievements, the core of Deming was his quality of character. He was raised by his parents under austere conditions in the heartland of the USA. The values ingrained in him by his parents included spiritual beliefs, a love of learning, devotion to family, commit‐ment to friends, and a strong work ethic. With an intense loyalty and love for his wife and children, he balanced his life so that family remained a priority. An accomplished writer of music, a grammarian, and a person with spiritual interests, Deming was much more than a public figure recognized as an icon of the “quality” movement.
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Siphokazi Koyana and Roger B. Mason
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the lessons that could be learnt from the first year of implementing the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority’s…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the lessons that could be learnt from the first year of implementing the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority’s Rural Development Programme.
Design/methodology/approach
This exploratory, qualitative study involved unemployed people from a rural location in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. A focus group and in-depth interviews were held with the current learners, the programme manager, the skills training providers, and the royal custodian of the locality.
Findings
While highlighting the factors that enhance success as well as those that impede development, the study found that the learnership contributed significantly to social transformation through rural entrepreneurship. It empowers disadvantaged women and youths to gain access and skills which, if the recommended measures to sustain the programme are implemented, could enable them to grow bigger businesses.
Research limitations/implications
Since this was an exploratory, qualitative study, the limitations of a small, convenience sample need to be overcome by a larger, quantitative study, and a more complete collection of accurate secondary data.
Originality/value
Despite the obvious limitations, this study has contributed to the literature on both rural entrepreneurship and transformation in South Africa. Both are under-researched topics, despite transformation being a socio-political imperative and entrepreneurship, especially in rural areas, being a key to overcoming South Africa’s high unemployment rate.
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Orsolya Fehér, Attila Gere, Ágnes Csiby, Dorina Szakál and Anna Dunay
Hungarian economy went through substantial changes in the past few decades and hypermarkets gained high popularity among customers, therefore profiling Hungarian hypermarket…
Abstract
Purpose
Hungarian economy went through substantial changes in the past few decades and hypermarkets gained high popularity among customers, therefore profiling Hungarian hypermarket shoppers is essential to understand their behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper investigates the profile of Hungarian hypermarket shoppers based on a wide questionnaire survey. In the presented research, Computer-Aided Personal Interviewing questionnaires were analyzed using multidimensional scaling and k-means clustering.
Findings
Results showed that Hungarian hypermarket shoppers regularly plan their shopping but they buy 8–9 items instead of the planned 4–5 items. However, only 25% of respondents reported the use of shopping list and in spite of the wide digital possibilities, they do not use their mobile devices neither for creating shopping list nor for checking coupons online.
Originality/value
This study explores the profile of Hungarian hypermarket shoppers, which may give additional information for the players of the retail environment about the customers' behavior and preferences.
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Jo Ann E. Brown and Barbara Jo White
Leaders model behaviors they want followers to emulate, and they use various technologies to enhance their message, but which tools are most effective? Using two studies, this…
Abstract
Purpose
Leaders model behaviors they want followers to emulate, and they use various technologies to enhance their message, but which tools are most effective? Using two studies, this paper sets out to compare the effectiveness of newer and older computer technologies used by leaders for describing and demonstrating desired behaviors.
Design/methodology/approach
The first study, an interdisciplinary experimental design, involved 110 students across two college campuses and data were analyzed using a 2 (modeling and no modeling)×2 (older and newer technology) between‐subjects ANOVA. The second study further explored modeling with both technologies on one campus, and data were analyzed with independent samples t‐tests.
Findings
Newer technology was more effective than older technology in increasing desired behaviors but only when coupled with modeling of those behaviors by the leader. However, after the novelty of the new technology had worn off, no significant difference in production of desired behaviors was observed.
Practical implications
Justifying the expense of purchasing new technology to replace functional older equipment is an important consideration for businesses and universities. Organizational leaders need factual, unbiased data to guide their decisions about allocating limited financial resources.
Originality/value
The studies were designed to provide decision‐makers with some much‐needed empirical data.
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