A discursive analysis of psychosocial issues: Talk in a ‘parent group’ for families who have children with chronic renal failure

Abstract

This paper illustrates a discursive approach to ‘psychosocial issues’ in health care. The analysis examines examples of talk within support groups for parents of children with chronic renal failure. These ran over a 32 month period at a Regional Paediatric Renal Unit within the UK National Health Service. All the parents are directly involved in management of home based peritoneal dialysis of their children. The analysis examines features of the organisation and content of parents' talk about what is commonplace in the management of the demands they face in the difficult circumstances of their child care. Common understandings within the groups are shown to be achieved through the parents' exploration of uncertainties in the care of their children. The value of qualitative analysis of health care talk in the evaluation of support groups for families involved in this form of paediatric care is also discussed.     

Physical self-perceptions and self-esteem in adolescents participating in organized sports and religious groups

Drawing on the exercise and self-esteem model (EXSEM), the current study examined associations between sport activities and aspects of the self-system among adolescent members of sport groups. Youths attending religious groups were included in the study to allow for a test of generalization. Participants were 595 adolescents (sport groups: n = 355, M_age = 15.09 years, SD = 1.49, 54.6% female; religious groups: n = 240, M_age = 15.67 years, SD = 1.44, 53.8% female) who completed a series of paper and pencil measures detailing their involvement in sport activities (sport group only), their self-efficacy beliefs in the physical domain, perceived sport competence and attractiveness, as well as global self-esteem. A structural model was tested for sport youth, specifying an effect of sport activities on self-efficacy that, in turn, was expected to predict subjective sport competence and attractiveness. Finally, the model postulated effects of competence and attractiveness on self-esteem. The model test revealed a good fit. Multi-group models considering type of leisure group and sex pointed to parallel patterns in the associations of self-efficacy, competence, attractiveness, and self-esteem in the subgroups.     

Multiple regression analyses in artificial-grammar learning: The importance of control groups

In artificial-grammar learning, it is crucial to ensure that above-chance performance in the test stage is due to learning in the training stage but not due to judgemental biases. Here we argue that multiple regression analysis can be successfully combined with the use of control groups to assess whether participants were able to transfer knowledge acquired during training when making judgements about test stimuli. We compared the regression weights of judgements in a transfer condition (training and test strings were constructed by the same grammar but with different letters) with those in a control condition. Predictors were identical in both conditions—judgements of control participants were treated as if they were based on knowledge gained in a standard training stage. The results of this experiment as well as reanalyses of a former study support the usefulness of our approach.     

Connected to the wellspring: ecclesiological capabilities of small groups of adolescents

The relationship between adolescents and institutional manifestations of church is often problematic. Nevertheless, adolescents still have a need to talk about and to experience faith together with other adolescents. When institutional activities are not available or do not satisfy the needs of the adolescents they sometimes create their own small groups and (informal) meetings to affirm their faith integrated in their (social) lives. Sociological studies also show the tendency to create their own small groups (tribes) besides existing groups of institutional organisations. In this article the question posed is how this more tribal way of being together can be seen as church. Is a (new) form of ecclesiology possible in a world of small groups, networks, social media? This article describes ecclesiological capabilities in a complex sociological environment for adolescents.     

Art from the Heart

Abstract

This article describes art therapy techniques grounded in a relational-cultural approach used in a middle school group for girls. Art from the Heart is an interactive preventive intervention designed to facilitate increased connections among group members. It is intended to bring together multiethnic groups of urban girls with complex relational histories to learn about growth-fostering relationships, without relying on sophisticated verbal abilities. Specific techniques encourage the expression of “feeling thoughts” and other interpersonal dynamics that do not lend themselves well to words. The interactive nature of the art projects creates a context where interpersonal disconnections can be explored and understood, and connections can be celebrated, both by talking and by making art.     

围手术期负荷剂量他汀对急性ST段抬高型心肌梗死患者预后的影响

为了探讨围手术期给予阿托伐他汀负荷剂量对急性ST段抬高型心肌梗死（STEMI）患者急诊经皮冠状动脉介入治疗（PCI）后对心血管事件的影响。选取因STEMI行急诊PCI术患者160例,其中80例于PCI术前给予阿托伐他汀负荷剂量40mg,80例术前未给予阿托伐他汀负荷剂量进行研究。分析两组患者住院期间肌酸激酶同工酶与超敏C反应蛋白值,PCI术后与术后1个月心功能情况。结果显示围手术期阿托伐他汀负荷剂量组主要心血管事件发生率优于非阿托伐他汀组（P〈0．05）。因此,围手术期给予负荷剂量的阿托伐他汀可以降低住院期间不良心血管事件的发生率,改善患者预后。     

急腹症2例误诊分析

急腹症是外科常见病和多发病,它是一种以急性腹痛为主要表现的临床急症,临床上常有误诊发生,最终造成严重后果。因而在诊疗过程中,必须对急性腹痛尽快作出定位、定性及病因诊断,以防误诊误治。现将我科收治的子宫穿孔误诊为消化道穿孔和输卵管卵巢脓肿误诊为阑尾周围脓肿的2例以急腹症表现为首发症状的患者在我科室的诊治过程及经验进行总结并进行分析,为临床能够提高急腹症的诊率断,降低误诊率提供借鉴,提高临床医生的鉴别能力,保证患者的身心健康。     

Collective motivation beliefs of early adolescents working in small groups

This study examined collective efficacy, group cohesion, and group performance in 125 randomly assigned groups of older (mean age 13.45 years) and younger (mean age 11.41 years) early adolescents working on three cooperative tasks. Collective motivation significantly predicted performance, even after controlling for past performance and self-efficacy for the older but not the younger participants. For the older (but not the younger) participants, groups with high collective efficacy and group cohesion scored higher on performance tasks than groups with low collective efficacy and group cohesion. The results point to the emergence of collective motivation beliefs in early adolescence, consistent with theories of social and cognitive development. Implications for theory and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

A PEER-MEDIATED SOCIAL NETWORK INTERVENTION TO ENHANCE THE SOCIAL INTEGRATION OF PERSONS WITH MODERATE AND SEVERE DISABILITIES

Increasingly, parents, teachers, and students with disabilities are advocating for interventions that go beyond skill training to provide support for participation in integrated environments and support for friendships. The present research demonstrated a social network intervention for youths with moderate and severe disabilities. Two groups of nondisabled peers were recruited to participate in weekly discussions with an adult integration facilitator to increase opportunities for social interaction for 2 students (1 with autism and 1 who was moderately mentally retarded). The groups met to discuss social interactions that had occurred with the students with disabilities and to talk about strategies to promote greater inclusion of the students into ongoing social interaction. The nondisabled students participated in the design and implementation of social skills interventions during transition times and lunch. The nondisabled students used self-monitoring data sheets to record the quantity and quality of interactions. The frequency of interaction, number of opportunities for interaction, and appropriateness of social interactions were analyzed with a multiple baseline design. Results indicated that the social network intervention was successful in increasing the quantity and quality of interactions and that the network strategy promoted the development of friendships. The results are discussed in terms of the need for additional research showing the relationships between increases in social competence, peer-mediated intervention, and the development and support of friendship.