Life Experiences (life + experience)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Medical Sciences

Kinds of Life Experiences

  • early life experience
  • negative life experience


  • Selected Abstracts


    Life experiences after stroke among Iranian stroke survivors

    INTERNATIONAL NURSING REVIEW, Issue 2 2010
    A. Dalvandi phd
    DALVANDI A., HEIKKILÄ K., MADDAH S.S.B., KHANKEH H.R. & EKMAN S.L. (2010) Life experiences after stroke among Iranian stroke survivors. International Nursing Review57, 247,253 Background:, Stroke is a major cause of disability worldwide. It is a life-threatening and life-altering event, which leaves many physical and mental disabilities, thus creating major social and economic burdens. Experiencing a stroke and its aftermath can be devastating for patients and their families. In Iran, many services are not available for those who lack property; this may result in many difficulties and long-term problems for stroke survivors and their family members who are usually the main caregivers in Iranian cultural. Despite its effect on their lives, little is known about how the survivors perceive stroke in the Iranian context, therefore, knowing more about this process may enhance problem identification and problem solving. Aim:, To illuminate how stroke survivors experience and perceive life after stroke. Method:, A grounded theory approach was recruited using semi-structured interviews with 10 stroke survivors. Findings:, The survivors perceived that inadequate social and financial support, lack of an educational plan, lack of access to rehabilitative services, physical and psychological problems led them to functional disturbances, poor socio-economical situation and life disintegration. The core concept of life after stroke was functional disturbances. Conclusions:, The study shows the need to support the stroke survivors in their coping process with their new situation by providing appropriate discharge plans, social and financial support, social insurances and training programmes for the stroke survivors and their families. [source]


    Early life modulators and predictors of adult synaptic plasticity

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 2 2006
    Katherine G. Akers
    Abstract Early life experience can induce long-lasting changes in brain and behaviour that are opposite in direction, such as enhancement or impairment in regulation of stress response, structural and functional integrity of the hippocampus, and learning and memory. To explore how multiple early life events jointly determine developmental outcome, we investigated the combined effects of neonatal trauma (anoxia on postnatal day 1, P1) and neonatal novelty exposure (P2,21) on adult social recognition memory (3 months of age) and synaptic plasticity in the CA1 of the rat hippocampus (4.5,8 months of age). While neonatal anoxia selectively reduced post-tetanic potentiation (PTP), neonatal novel exposure selectively increased long-term potentiation (LTP). No interaction between anoxia and novelty exposure was found on either PTP or LTP. These findings suggest that the two contrasting neonatal events have selective and distinct effects on two different forms of synaptic plasticity. At the level of behaviour, the effect of novelty exposure on LTP was associated with increased social memory, and the effect of anoxia on PTP was not accompanied by changes in social memory. Such a finding suggests a bias toward the involvement of LTP over PTP in social memory. Finally, we report a surprising finding that an early behavioural measure of emotional response to a novel environment obtained at 25 days of age can predict adult LTP measured several months later. Therefore, individual differences in emotional responses present during the juvenile stage may contribute to adult individual differences in cellular mechanisms that underlie learning and memory. [source]


    Postnatal handling alters the activation of stress-related neuronal circuitries

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 8 2000
    István M. Ábrahám
    Abstract Postnatal handling, as a crucial early life experience, plays an essential role in the development of hypothalamo-pituitary,adrenal axis responses to stress. The impact of postnatal handling on the reactivity of stress-related neuronal circuitries was investigated in animals that were handled for the first 21 days of life and as adults they were exposed to physical (ether) or emotional (restraint) challenge. To assess neuronal activation we relied on the induction of immediate-early gene product c-Fos and analysed its spatial and temporal distribution at various time intervals after stress. Ether and restraint commonly activated parvocellular neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, and resulted in activation of brain areas providing stress-related information to the hypothalamic effector neurons and/or in regions governing autonomic and behavioural responses to stress. Beyond these areas, the strength and timing of c-Fos induction showed stressor specificity in olfactory and septal region, basal ganglia, hypothalamus, hippocampal formation, amygdala and brainstem. Handled rats displayed a lower number of c-Fos-positive cell nuclei and weaker staining intensity than non-handled controls in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, central nucleus of amygdala, hippocampus, piriform cortex and posterior division of the cingulum. Significant differences were revealed in timing of c-Fos induction as a function of stressor and early life experience. Together, these data provide functional anatomical evidence that environmental enrichment in the early postnatal period attenuates the reactivity of stress-related neuronal circuitries in the adult rat brain. [source]


    Transformative Spirituality for a Transformed World: Contributions from the Indigenous Perspective

    INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF MISSION, Issue 2 2009
    María Chávez Quispe
    A Transformative Spirituality from the perspective of indigenous peoples should be rooted in the life experience, cultural values and spirituality of the indigenous peoples. From the identity and history of the indigenous relationship with Christianity, the article presents some experiences and voices of indigenous peoples and concludes with some suggestions to think about the theme. In this perspective Transformative Spirituality is a proposal of an alternative way of life to the current one which is marked by financial crisis and hopelessness in the face of the future. Pachamama as the Mother Earth, origin and end of life, is the main symbol of this spirituality. [source]


    Treading on Tradition: Approaches to Teaching International Relations to the Nontraditional Undergraduate

    INTERNATIONAL STUDIES PERSPECTIVES, Issue 1 2002
    Nancy E. Wright
    Nontraditional undergraduates (NTUs), undergraduates who typically are older than average, work full-time, and/or are entrusted with substantial family responsibilities, pose a special challenge to international relations educators. Severe constraints on time and access to library facilities both impede progress and may give an erroneous impression that NTUs are not as committed to their education as more conventional college undergraduates. The lack of continuity in education that typifies the NTU experience often manifests itself in anxiety, frustration, and gaps in fundamental knowledge. At the same time, the maturity and sophistication that come with life experience often far exceed that of the more conventional college student. Furthermore, typical requirements of international relations and international studies majors, such as second and third language proficiency, internships with international organizations, and overseas study are often not feasible for the working student with family responsibilities. Possibilities for meeting the challenges of teaching NTUs include greater use of open-book examinations, research proposals, case studies, simulations, problem-based learning (PBL), use of the Internet, and the development of short-term intensive overseas study opportunities that accommodate the working student's schedule. [source]


    Making Meaning: Women's Birth Narratives

    JOURNAL OF OBSTETRIC, GYNECOLOGIC & NEONATAL NURSING, Issue 4 2004
    FAAN professor, Lynn Clark Callister RN
    Birth stories are personal narratives grounded in the pivotal life experience of giving birth. Richly descriptive birth narratives from culturally diverse childbearing women document the importance of listening to the voices of women. Benefits of sharing birth stories include the opportunity for integration of a major event into the framework of a mother's life; the opportunity to share a significant life experience; the opportunity to discuss fears, concerns, "missing pieces" or feelings of inadequacy or disappointment; the opportunity for the woman to gain an understanding of her strengths; and the opportunity to connect with other women. Providing women with the opportunity to share their birth stories is an important nursing intervention. [source]


    Epiphanies and research in the field of mental health

    JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 8 2009
    J. LEES phd ma dipcouns dipsup, cert time-limited therapy pgce mbacp(snr accred) ukrc registered independent counsellor
    Accessible summary ,,This article looks at the richness inherent in our life experience and engages on a journey to examine this richness in the light of two experiences (or epiphanies) on a clinical training course. It demonstrates how, as a result of continued refection and reflexive analysis, my understanding of these experiences transformed over a period of time. ,,The field of inquiry was a training in psychoanalytic counselling. My ongoing analysis of the experiences provided an evaluation of some key features of that culture and the nature of clinical training, particularly in psychoanalytic milieu. ,,The article concludes with a discussion about the academic culture in which I am now working and the way in which it influences my writing style (in, for example, this article). It concludes that the discourse of this culture prevents us from reaching our creative spiritual core and examines how we can overcome this limitation. Abstract In this paper I will argue that investigating our professional experiences can enrich our understanding, widen our perspective, transform our inner lives and create an endless source of discovery about ourselves, society and the professional discursive systems that we inhabit. I will call such events, after Denzin's work in 1989, epiphanies. In order to develop the theme I will give an account of my own experience of two such epiphanies on a psychoanalytic training course in counselling. I will then present my reflexive analysis of these events over the years, including my reflections on the peer review comments for this paper, and finish with some questions arising out of the study relating to the current status of nursing as an academic profession. [source]


    From blog to bebo and beyond: text, risk, participation

    JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN READING, Issue 1 2009
    Victoria Carrington
    This paper broadly explores the notion that text is an artefact that encodes and displays the tensions, resistances, positioning and affinities of its producer and, further, that many of these drivers have their source in quite significant shifts in the broad contours of contemporary Western culture. Against this background, two different artefacts are analysed in this paper: a blog and a bebo page. The blog has been produced by an adult female academic and the bebo page by an early adolescent girl. These text producers and users are positioned quite differently in terms of geography, education, life experience, identity, social class and interests. They also have differential access to and experience of digital technologies. However, they both make use of the affordances of technologies, in particular Internet-connected laptops and desktops, to create and disseminate these texts to do ,work' on their behalf in particular social domains. [source]


    Pulmonary sequelae in long-term survivors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia

    PEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 6 2000
    Daniel Kwok-Keung Ng
    AbstractBackground: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a common problem in premature babies. Long-term sequelae are the main concerns. Methods: A retrospective review of all BPD children born in Queen Mary Hospital, a teaching hospital of the University of Hong Kong, from January 1987 to December 1995 was conducted. Children with cerebral palsy, immunodeficiency, congenital heart disorders, renal or liver failure were excluded from analysis. Chest radiography (CXR), electrocardiogram (ECG) and pulse oximetry were routinely performed. Results: Fifty-five children completed the study. The female to male ratio was 1 : 1.1. The mean gestational age was 28 weeks. Twenty-five children were born with a birthweight of less than 1001 g. Mean age at assessment was 5.4 years. Twenty-four children (44%) demonstrated signs or symptoms of current asthma. Only seven children managed to perform the spirometry satisfactorily. One child had low forced vital capacity and one had hyperresponsive airway. The only risk factor found to be associated with current asthma was the birth month, with those children born early in the year at higher risk of developing current asthma. Seventeen of 48 children (35%) had a bodyweight below the third percentile at the corrected age of 1 year. Eleven of these seventeen children (65%) demonstrated catch-up growth at assessment. Abnormal CXR was found in 25 of 40 children (63%). All had normal pulse oximetry and ECG. Conclusions: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia children had a significantly higher risk than the general population of developing current asthma (odds ratio 4.7; 95% confidence interval 3.4,6.5; P<0.0001). The importance of birth month suggests that early life experience is important in the pathogenesis of asthma, even in BPD children. The long-term growth of BPD children was much better than previously reported. [source]


    Teaching Across the Generation Gap: A Consensus from the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors 2009 Academic Assembly

    ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 2009
    Lisa Moreno-Walton MD
    Abstract Background:, Four distinct generations of physicians currently coexist within the emergency medicine (EM) workforce, each with its own unique life experience, perspective, attitude, and expectation of work and education. To the best of our knowledge, no investigations or consensus statements exist that specifically address the effect of intergenerational differences on undergraduate and graduate medical education in EM. Objectives:, To review the existing literature on generational differences as they pertain to workforce expectations, educational philosophy, and learning styles and to create a consensus statement based on the shared insights of experienced educators in EM, with specific recommendations to improve the effectiveness of EM residency training programs. Methods:, A group of approximately one hundred EM program directors (PDs), assistant PDs, and other academic faculty attending an annual conference of emergency physician (EP) educators gathered at a breakout session and working group to examine the literature on intergenerational differences, to share insights and discuss interventions tailored to address these stylistic differences, and to formulate consensus recommendations. Results:, A set of specific recommendations, including effective educational techniques, was created based on literature from other professions and medical disciplines, as well as the contributions of a diverse group of EP educators. Conclusions:, Recommendations included early establishment of clear expectations and consequences, emphasis on timely feedback and individualized guidance during training, explicit reinforcement of a patient-centered care model, use of peer modeling and support, and emphasis on more interactive and small-group learning techniques. [source]


    Modelling the origins of managerial ability in agricultural production,

    AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL & RESOURCE ECONOMICS, Issue 3 2009
    Peter Nuthall
    The efficiency of production from a farm's land, labour and capital is critically dependent on the ability of the farm manager. Yet, while there are studies correlating a wide range of manager-related variables with returns, and, therefore, probably ability, little understanding of the basic determinants of managerial ability exists. Questions such as ,what is the importance of a farmer's family experiences and training in determining the farmer's managerial ability?' need answering. The solution to this, and other, questions will enable determining ways of improving farmers' inherent ability developed both in early, and later, life. In that most decisions on a farm are made intuitively, in contrast to the use of a formal analysis, improving farmers' inherent ability will have a significant payoff. The research reported here uses data from a large stratified random survey of 740 developed farmers (29 per cent had tertiary education, 30 per cent had 4 or more years secondary education) to create a structural equation model of the determinants of managerial ability. The results suggest that a farmer's exposure to experiences is a significant factor in ability, as is the farmer's management style and the family influence on early life experience. [source]


    Measuring visual diasability in glaucoma

    ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2009
    A KOTECHA
    Quantification of the visual disability experienced by the glaucoma patient is currently limited to the use of clinician-based measures of disease status; that is, measurement of retinal nerve fibre layer thickness, visual field sensitivity and intraocular pressure. However, whilst these tests provide information to the clinician regarding patient management requirements, they provide very little information about the patient's ability to function on a day-to-day basis. There have been attempts to measure the glaucoma patient's experience using vision-specific ,quality of life' questionnaires. However, it is apparent that no two patients with the same disease status will report the same quality of life experience. The purpose of this talk is to present new work examining how glaucoma patients perform specific, day-to-day tasks in the presence of the disease, with a view to understanding what specific visual factors might explain the difficulties they encounter at different stages of the disease. [source]


    Early childhood factors influencing health-related quality of life in adolescents at 13 years

    CHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 4 2004
    Elise Maher
    Early childhood factors influencing health-related quality of life in adolescents at 13 years . Wilkins, A.J., O'Callaghan, M.J., Najman, J.M., Williams, G.M. & Shuttlewood, G. ( 2004 ) Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health40 , 102 , 109 . Objective To understand the relationship of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) to early life experience. Methodology Eight thousand five hundred and fifty-six women enrolled in a prospective study at their first antenatal clinic visit. At 13 years, of 5345 women remaining, a consecutive sample of 901 mother/child pairs provided data on adolescent HRQOL using the Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Report form (CHQ-PF50) and the Dartmouth COOP Functional Assessment Charts for Adolescents. The CHQ-PF50 yielded physical (PHS) and psychosocial (PSS) summary scores. We examined the relationship between HRQOL and early childhood predictive variables. Results PHS was related to gestation, maternal health symptoms in pregnancy, maternal anxiety at 6 months, child health and hours of childcare at 5 years (P < 0.05). PSS was related to maternal age at index visit, maternal attitude to pregnancy, maternal satisfaction with caregiving and maternal depression at 6 months, and child health and behaviour problems at 5 years (internalizing and social/attentional/thought (SAT) domains) (P < 0.05). Findings from adolescent self-reports were similar. Conclusions This study has identified a number of early childhood determinants of adolescent HRQOL. These findings add to the evidence of the effects of early adversity on the developmental pathways of children and support the need for effective early intervention. [source]


    Maternally separated rats show deficits in maternal care in adulthood

    DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2001
    Vedran Lovic
    Abstract Although there is considerable research on the phenomenology, neuroendocrinology, neuroanatomy, and sensory control of maternal behavior, little is known about the influences of early postnatal and postweaning experiences on the development of maternal behavior. The purpose of this study was to assess how early life separation from the mother rat affects development of the offspring's juvenile and adult maternal behavior. From postnatal Days 1 to 17, 3 female rats within each litter were separated (SEP) from the mother and the rest of the litter for 5 hr daily while 3 of their sisters were not maternally separated (NSEP). On postnatal Day 21, all subjects were weaned and randomly assigned to one of three juvenile conditions. One female from both SEP and NSEP groups was either isolated (I), given a social conspecific (S), or given 1- to 4-day-old pups (P) for 5 consecutive days. Maternal behavior of SEP and NSEP animals was assessed and recorded on each of the 5 days. Once all animals reached adulthood, they were mated, gave birth, and were assessed for their maternal behavior. We found that the effects of maternal separation on juvenile maternal-like behaviors were minimal. On the other hand, maternal separation reduced adult maternal licking and crouching over pups. In addition, there was a significant interaction between postnatal and juvenile experience on maternal crouching in maternal animals. These results are discussed in terms of the variety of possible behavioral, endocrine, and neurochemical mechanisms that mediate the effects of early life experiences on adult maternal behavior. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 39: 19,33, 2001 [source]


    Illicit tranquilliser use and dependence among female opiate users

    DRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 5 2006
    GAIL GILCHRIST
    Abstract This study determined the predictors of 12-month dependence on illicit tranquillisers among female opiate users attending three services in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Twelve-month drug dependence was measured using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. The Revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R) measured current neurotic symptoms. 60% (159/266) had used illicit tranquillisers in the past 30 days, and 50% (132/266) met criteria for 12-month dependence on illicit tranquillisers. Polydrug use, injecting drug use, childhood and adulthood abuse, adverse life experiences and current and previous mental health problems were associated with 12-month dependence on illicit tranquillisers. Using multiple logistic regression, polydrug use in last 30 days (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.5,7.0), history of deliberate self-harm (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.4-4.4), history of injecting drug use (OR 2.5, 1.2,5.2) and likely to need treatment for current neurotic symptoms (CIS-R , 18) (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.3,4.4) predicted 12-month dependence on illicit tranquillisers. Drug users in general and female drug users in particular who are using illicit tranquillisers are also particularly likely to have psychiatric symptoms requiring treatment. Mental health problems should be assessed and monitored among this client group and counselling and psychosocial support should be provided when indicated. [source]


    Student experiences of neurodiversity in higher education: insights from the BRAINHE project

    DYSLEXIA, Issue 1 2009
    Edward Griffin
    Abstract The number of students with identified learning differences (LDs) of all kinds is increasing in higher education. This qualitative study explored the experiences of 27 current and previous students with a range of specific LDs by means of semi-structured interviews, using a thematic approach. The findings revealed that participants shared many life experiences and preferences for learning irrespective of their type of LD. Participants generally held one of two views about their identity as ,neurodiverse': a ,difference' view,where neurodiversity was seen as a difference incorporating a set of strengths and weaknesses, or a ,medical/deficit' view,where neurodiversity was seen as a disadvantageous medical condition. The former view was associated with expressions of greater career ambition and academic self-esteem, while the latter view was associated more with processes for obtaining the Disabled Students' Allowance. Many of the participants reported similar experiences in education and with university support; many did not feel adequately supported by their institutions. Recommendations are made for increased awareness training among lecturers and better liaison between university departments. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Childhood negative experiences and subclinical psychosis in adolescence: a longitudinal general population study

    EARLY INTERVENTION IN PSYCHIATRY, Issue 2 2007
    Ellen De Loore
    Abstract Background:, Accumulating evidence suggests that experiences of trauma and victimization during childhood are associated with an increased risk to develop clinical and subclinical psychosis in adulthood. A recent cross-sectional study showed a significant association between trauma and psychotic experiences in adolescents. The current study aimed to extend these findings by investigating the longitudinal effects of negative life experiences on the risk for subclinical psychotic symptoms 2 years later in an adolescent general community sample. Methods:, Data were derived from the standard health screenings of the Youth Health Care Divisions of the Public Health Services, in the South of the Netherlands. A total of 1129 adolescents filled out a self-report questionnaire at age 13/14 years and 2 years later (15/16 years), assessing psychotic experiences, as well as experiences of being bullied, sexual trauma, and negative life events. Results:, Logistic regression analyses revealed that sexual trauma increased the risk for psychotic symptoms 2 years later. Life events contributed to the risk for psychosis over time and psychosis in turn gave rise to new life events. No significant association with bullying was found after controlling for confounders. Conclusion:, The results provide further evidence for an association between childhood environment and psychosis in the crucial developmental period of early adolescence. Early and later psychological stress, if severe, may impact on the risk for psychosis in adolescence through mechanisms of person,environment interaction and correlation. [source]


    Text as design, writers as designers

    ENGLISH IN EDUCATION, Issue 2 2005
    Ian Maun
    Abstract Acknowledging the changing nature of writing in the 21st century, particularly the increasing significance of visual characteristics in written texts, this paper explores the implications of multimodality for the pedagogy of writing. It considers the potential disjunction between children's life experiences of written texts and the demands of the writing curriculum, particularly in the secondary phase, and whilst arguing for greater recognition of the role of the visual, the paper also notes the importance of ensuring all children also have access to powerful verbal texts. Drawing on two separate research studies, the paper demonstrates how visual characteristics of written texts influence readers' responses to texts, but also how writers are aware of some of the choices they make in shaping verbal texts. The paper argues for a reconceptualisation of the writing process as a design process, and for a pedagogy of writing which encourages, supports and enables writers to become confident and effective designers of texts. [source]


    Rapid reversal of stress induced loss of synapses in CA3 of rat hippocampus following water maze training

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 11 2003
    Carmen Sandi
    Abstract The impact was examined of exposing rats to two life experiences of a very different nature (stress and learning) on synaptic structures in hippocampal area CA3. Rats were subjected to either (i) chronic restraint stress for 21 days, and/or (ii) spatial training in a Morris water maze. At the behavioural level, restraint stress induced an impairment of acquisition of the spatial response. Moreover, restraint stress and water maze training had contrasting impacts on CA3 synaptic morphometry. Chronic stress induced a loss of simple asymmetric synapses [those with an unperforated postsynaptic density (PSD)], whilst water maze learning reversed this effect, promoting a rapid recovery of stress-induced synaptic loss within 2,3 days following stress. In addition, in unstressed animals a correlation was found between learning efficiency and the density of synapses with an unperforated PSD: the better the performance in the water maze, the lower the synaptic density. Water maze training increased the number of perforated synapses (those with a segmented PSD) in CA3, both in stressed and, more notably, in unstressed rats. The distinct effects of stress and learning on CA3 synapses reported here provide a neuroanatomical basis for the reported divergent effects of these experiences on hippocampal synaptic activity, i.e. stress as a suppressor and learning as a promoter of synaptic plasticity. [source]


    A fearful child attends: a psychoanalytic explanation of children's responses to dental treatment

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, Issue 6 2007
    RUTH FREEMAN
    Background., At the mention of dental treatment some children become overwhelmed by anxiety whereas others appear to take the news in their stride. Sometimes when anxious children attend dental treatment, they appear to cope, contain their fears, and passively submit to treatment, whereas others angrily refuse to open their mouths and a third group of children exist who seem to just ,tough it out' no matter how disagreeable or frightening dental treatment becomes. The question remains: why do children react so differently to dental treatment? Aim., This paper aims to provide a psychoanalytic explanation as to why children react and respond differently to dental treatment. Results., This paper proposes a psychoanalytic formulation based on the functionality of the family, parent,child dyads, child psychological development, and the child's emotional and actual life experiences. Conclusions., There is a need to understand the dynamic nature of child dental anxiety and to appreciate the hidden factors and underlying complexities associated with the anxious child who attends for dental treatment. [source]


    Prostate cancer: friend or enemy.

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGICAL NURSING, Issue 2 2010
    Part one, the son
    The aim of the study was to investigate the daily life experiences of sons and daughters following the father's prostate cancer diagnosis. This paper is part one describing the sons experience of life. Research in this field to date has predominantly focused on the father's experiences in coping with the disease, and there is a lack of research on the adult children's experiences following the father's cancer diagnosis. The study assumes a phenomenological,hermeneutic approach, using Ricoeur's theories of narratives and text interpretation. The informants were six sons of men diagnosed with incurable prostate cancer. All participants were interviewed 3 and 10 months after the father was informed of the cancer diagnosis. Data analysis was done in three stages according to Ricoeur: naďve reading, followed by a structured analysis, and concluded with critical interpretation and discussion. Results showed in the experience of worry and dilemma after the father's diagnosis, the son gradually adapted to the new life situation. The adaptation was conscious/unconscious and could be characterized as a personal transition. It is concluded that nurses need to include the son more in the care for the parents. [source]


    Loving America and Longing for Home: Isma'il al-Faruqi and the Emergence of the Muslim Diaspora in North America

    INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 2 2004
    Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi
    In this paper, I weave the experience of an emerging community of Muslim diaspora around a biographical narrative of the Muslim activist and scholar Isma'il al-Faruqi. Through this narrative, I illustrate that the diasporic experience begins in the place of origin and it does not inevitably lead toward a perpetual hybridization. The latter point is particularly significant because notions of diaspora and hybridity are conceptually linked and are often understood as a unidirectional cutting and mixing between the West and the East, or between the modern and the traditional. Al-Faruqi's experience shows that, in a Fanonian sense of colonialism, diasporic experience conveys living as a "stranger", at and away from home. The postcolonial condition has made it possible for ethnically diverse communities of Muslims to reside in the West, but maintain strong connections with their place of origin. Adopting the allegory of the Prophet's migration or hijra, al-Faruqi constructed a fantastic notion of the ummah and a normative homo islamicus subject. Although he was profoundly influenced by the diversity of the Muslim Student Associations' constituency, al-Faruqi encouraged Muslims to transcend their differences and sought to conceive a discursively homogenous ummah. Ultimately, however, his project failed because it did not correspond to real life experiences of Muslims of the West. Historically, Muslim communities have negotiated the boundaries of Muslimhood and the social responsibilities it entails, both in their homelands and in their new home in the West , a new home that increasingly becomes hostile to their presence, and thereby further complicates their triangular diaspora/host society/homeland relationship. [source]


    Narrative inquiry into life experiences of refugee women and men

    INTERNATIONAL NURSING REVIEW, Issue 1 2007
    C. Pavlish phd
    Background:, Africa is the site of many refugee camps, and non-governmental agencies are often responsible for providing programmes and services to improve refugees' quality of life and health in temporary encampments. Rwanda hosts three refugee camps as a result of the 1994 genocide. Aim:, This research examines meaningful life experiences as narrated by women and men Congolese refugees residing in a refugee camp in Rwanda. Methods:, Two in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 refugee men and 14 refugee women. Content in the research text was analysed separately by gender. Findings:, Women's experiences revealed themes of leaving the good life behind, worrying about their daughters, feeling ambivalent about marriage and lacking hope. Men's experiences revealed themes of leaving the good life behind, having no peace in the heart and fearing the future. Conclusions:, Listening to refugee voices in narrated life experiences provides an opportunity for non-governmental organizations to create programmes and services that pertain closely to refugees' life experiences. [source]


    Taught by animals: how understanding diet selection leads to better zoo diets

    INTERNATIONAL ZOO YEARBOOK, Issue 1 2005
    B. D. Moore
    Wild animals invariably obtain their nutrient requirements, regulate their ingestion of toxins and even self-medicate. This review suggests that, while size and morphology dictate gross diet, the ability to select a diet is learnt. Animals learn to distinguish nutritious foods from less beneficial or toxic items through the positive and negative consequences of ingestion. In this process, early life experiences appear to be critically important. Zoo animals can rarely be provided with their wild diets and caretakers substitute nutrients from other sources. Thus, a suitable range of ingredients should be provided to give the animals a stimulating and nutritious diet that ensures excellent health. [source]


    Ascription, Choice, and the Construction of Religious Identities in the Contemporary United States

    JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF RELIGION, Issue 1 2006
    WENDY CADGE
    Within the past 15 years, sociological studies of religion have emphasized the chosen, achieved nature of religious identities and have deemphasized ascription or tribalism as the basis of Americans' construction of religious selves. The accounts many people develop in narrating their religious life experiences, however, often combine notions of ascription and achievement in ways scholars have not clearly conceptualized. This article develops an approach to religious identity that shows how, rather than being treated as a dichotomy, the concepts of ascription and achievement are integrated in nuanced ways in the narratives of religious identity told by first-generation immigrant Thai Buddhists and third-generation Jews, two groups with strong inherited religious identities. The comparison between Jews and Buddhists shows how members of both groups blend the concepts of ascription and achievement in similar and different ways, particularly around practice, regardless of their participation in religious organizations. [source]


    Caring for abused women: impact on nurses' professional and personal life experiences

    JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 8 2009
    Hadass Goldblatt
    Abstract Title.,Caring for abused women: impact on nurses' professional and personal lifeexperiences. Aim., This article is a report of a study of the impact of caring for abused women on nurses' professional and personal life experiences. Background., Encountering abused women can have emotional, cognitive and behavioural influences on nurses, known as vicarious traumatization. They may feel incompetent to deal with such an overwhelming problem and may avoid screening survivors of abuse. Thus, nurses treating these survivors need to be aware of their attitudes, emotions and differential responses during these interactions. Method., A phenomenological study was carried out in 2005 in Israel. The data were collected using in-depth, interviews with 22 female Israeli nurses in hospitals and community healthcare clinics. Findings., Data analysis revealed one main theme, ,Struggling on work and home fronts', based on two subthemes: ,Encounter with domestic violence: a challenge to nurses' professional role perception' and ,Between work and home'. Nurses experience perplexity regarding abused women and their professional care. Encounters with these women challenge nurses' personal and professional attitudes, as well as influencing their personal lives (intimate relationships, parenthood and gender attitudes). These encounters induce empathy and compassion, but also anger and criticism towards abused women, creating emotional labour for the nurses. Conclusion., The dissonance between personal values, attitudes and emotions and the desirable professional intervention procedures might impede nurses' performance in caring for abused women. Implementing training programmes for screening and intervening with abused women might reduce the emotional labour required, enhance nurses' responses to domestic violence, and enable personal growth. [source]


    The nature of advocacy vs. paternalism in nursing: clarifying the ,thin line'

    JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 8 2009
    Meg Zomorodi
    Abstract Title.,The nature of advocacy vs. paternalism in nursing: clarifying the ,thin line'. Aim., This paper is an exploration of the concepts of advocacy and paternalism in nursing and discusses the thin line between the two. Background., Nurses are involved in care more than any other healthcare professionals and they play a central role in advocating for patients and families. It is difficult to obtain a clear definition of advocacy, yet the concepts of advocacy and paternalism must be compared, contrasted, and discussed extensively. In many situations, only a thin line distinguishes advocacy from paternalism. Data sources., A literature search was conducted using PubMed and CINAHL databases (2000,2008) as well as a library catalogue for texts. Discussion., Four case stories were described in order to discuss the ,thin line' between advocacy and paternalism and develop communication strategies to eliminate ambiguity. Weighing the ethical principles of beneficence and autonomy helps to clarify advocacy and paternalism and provides an avenue for discussion among nurses practicing in a variety of settings. Implications for nursing., Advocacy and paternalism should be discussed at interdisciplinary rounds, and taken into consideration when making patient care decisions. It is difficult to clarify advocacy vs. paternalism, but strategies such as knowing the patient, clarifying information, and educating all involved are initial steps in distinguishing advocacy from paternalism. Conclusion., Truly ,knowing' patients, their life experiences, values, beliefs and wishes can help clarify the ,thin line' and gain a grasp of these difficult to distinguish theoretical concepts. [source]


    Do aggression and rule-breaking have different interpersonal correlates?

    AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, Issue 6 2009
    A study of antisocial behavior subtypes, hostile perceptions of others, negative affect
    Abstract There is mounting evidence that physical aggression and nonaggressive, rule-breaking delinquency constitute two separable though correlated subtypes of antisocial behavior. Even so, it remains unclear whether these behavioral subtypes have meaningfully different interpersonal correlates, particularly as they are subsumed within the same broad domain of antisocial behavior. To evaluate this, we examined whether hostile perceptions of others (assessed via exposure to a series of neutral unknown faces) were linked to level and type of antisocial behavior aggression vs. rule-breaking, and moreover, whether this association persisted even when also considering the common association with negative affect (as manipulated via written recollection of one's best and worst life experiences). Analyses revealed that aggression, but not rule-breaking, was uniquely tied to hostile perceptions of others. Furthermore, this association persisted over and above the common association of both hostile perceptions and aggression with negative affect (at both trait and state levels). Such results provide additional support for clinically meaningful differences between the behavioral subtypes of aggression and nonaggressive rule-breaking and for the independent role of hostile perceptions in aggressive behavior. Aggr. Behav. 35:453,461, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Co-creating change within a child protection system: integrating art therapy with family therapy practice

    JOURNAL OF FAMILY THERAPY, Issue 3 2003
    Hilary Manicom
    This paper considers family art therapy intervention using a partnership developed between an art therapist and a family therapist within a child protection system. The aim of this co-working relationship is to bring together skills that can amplify the child's voice within the family, using art as a means of extending the family story. The use of metaphor adds to the repertoire of skills available when working with families, and offers a particular form of communication in which children can more easily engage. By co-working, we also bring together our personal and professional stories, creating multiple ideas and ways of seeing and taking account of differences in the life experiences of individual families. [source]


    Attaining organizational commitment across different generations of nurses

    JOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 8 2008
    LARA CARVER PhD
    Aim, To inform nurse managers about the generational differences that exist among nurses, how it affects the work environment and how this information can be used to encourage organizational commitment. Background, Every person is born into a generational cohort of peers who experience similar life experiences that go on to shape distinct generational characteristics. Thanks to delayed retirements, mid-life career changes, job re-entry and a small but significant group of younger graduates, the nursing profession is now experiencing four generations in the workforce: Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation X and the Millennial Generation. At the same time, the literature on organizational commitment is expanding and can provide a compelling context through which to view generational differences among nurses. Implications for nursing management, As part of an overall strategy to increase organizational commitment, consideration of generational differences in nurses can be helpful in leading to increased job satisfaction, increased productivity and decreased turnover among staff. In the face of the global nursing shortage, managers should increase their knowledge of generational diversity just as they have with ethnic and cultural diversity in the past. Understanding how to relate to the different generations and tap into their individual strengths can lead to improved nursing work environments. [source]