An examination of post-traumatic growth in Canadian and American ParaSport athletes with acquired spinal cord injury

ObjectivesThe study was guided by two research questions: (1) Does participation in ParaSport following acquired spinal cord injury (SCI) influence people's perceptions of post traumatic growth (PTG)? (2) What specific dimensions of PTG, if any, do ParaSport athletes report experiencing?DesignA phenomenological approach was adopted to understand ParaSport athletes' perceptions and experiences of PTG and sport participation following acquired SCI.MethodTwelve participants with acquired SCI who integrated, reintegrated, or attempted to integrate into sport completed a survey and participated in a semi-structured interview to assess their perceptions of acquired SCI, involvement in ParaSport, and PTG.ResultsFive general dimensions of growth emerged from the data including: (a) injury relevant processing; (b) appreciation for life; (c) reactive behavior as a result of attempted integration into ParaSport; (d) relating to others and (e) health and well-being. Participants reported increased physical functioning and independence related to their involvement in sport. Emotional and psychological gains were also associated with ParaSport including re-establishment of self-identity, improved clarity and perception of life, changed priorities, greater confidence, and enhanced social relationships.ConclusionsParticipation in ParaSport following acquired SCI may provide physical, emotional, and psychological health benefits, which should be considered in the development and implementation of sport related interventions to encourage PTG. Clinicians and rehabilitation specialists may use information from the present study to help individuals improve their identity, build relationships, and develop an appreciation for life after incurring a SCI.     

Event centrality and posttraumatic outcomes in the context of pervasive violence: a study of teachers in El Salvador

It is well established that the importance assigned to a trauma can affect one's recovery and psychological health in numerous ways. Event centrality is an increasingly popular construct that captures the tendency among survivors to reevaluate and possibly accommodate their worldviews posttrauma. The centrality given to trauma appears to serve as a “double-edged sword” in that this construct might factor prominently in both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG). Focusing on 257 violence-exposed teachers from educational departments throughout El Salvador, we examined whether the centrality assigned by the teachers to stressful life events uniquely predicted both PTSD symptomatology and PTG. Results revealed that event centrality was positively related to both PTSD and PTG, even when controlling for demographic factors, violence exposure, and depression. In addition, PTSD symptomatology and PTG were not associated with one another in this sample. In summary, these findings support the role of event centrality as a contributing factor for PTSD and PTG among persons exposed to pervasive trauma.     

New understanding of the role of coincidence site lattice boundaries in abnormal grain growth of aluminium alloy

The sequential microstructure evolution of abnormal grain growth (AGG) in the aluminium alloy (AA5052) was investigated to analyse the migration behaviour of coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundaries, which are known to play an important role in inducing AGG. The sequential evolution showed that CSL boundaries tend to disappear more slowly than general boundaries at the growth front of abnormally growing grains. Especially, the migration rate of Σ9 boundaries was noticeably low, which is contrary to the previous suggestions.     

Effects of cementite morphology on short-fatigue-crack propagation in binary Fe–C steel

The effects of cementite morphology on short-fatigue-crack propagation were investigated by subjecting smooth steel specimens to rotating-bending fatigue tests. Intergranular and transgranular cementite precipitation steels free of other phases were prepared through heat treatments. In the intergranular cementite precipitation steel, short-fatigue-crack propagation was decelerated at the grain boundaries, and accelerated in the grain interiors. In contrast, the transgranular precipitation steel showed the deceleration of the crack propagation in the grain interiors but not in the vicinity of the grain boundaries.     

God counts for children’s spiritual well-being

Over the last three decades, qualitative studies of children’s spirituality have variously mentioned God. During this time, nearly 300 quantitative measures of spirituality and well-being have been developed and employed with youth and adults. However, very little similar work has been done with children. An article in this journal reported development of a purported spiritual sensitivity scale. That paper is critiqued here on the basis of its statistical methods as well as its failure to mention God in a study with Australian Catholic school students. In this paper, spiritual well-being (SWB) is taken as being reflected in the quality of relationships that people have with themselves, with others, with the environment and/or with God. Empirical evidence derived from extensive studies with primary school children in State, Catholic, Christian community and other independent schools in Australia reveals that an instrument called Feeling Good, Living Life is a statistically sound spirituality measure for children. Of the four sets of relationships reflecting SWB, relationship with God explains greatest variance in SWB overall. In this respect, relationship with God is most important for SWB among primary school students, just as other studies have shown it to be among youth and adults.     

Reporting spiritual needs of older adults living in Bavarian residential and nursing homes

We intended to study unaddressed psychosocial and spiritual needs among older people (of at least 65 years of age) living in nine residential/nursing homes in Bavaria in Southern Germany. We conducted an anonymous cross-sectional study with standardised questionnaires (i.e., Spiritual Needs Questionnaire, Brief Multidimensional Life Satisfaction Scale, Schedule for Meaning in Life Evaluation, etc.). Religious needs were predicted best by residents’ religious trust. Existential needs and inner peace needs correlated moderately with grief, and were predicted best by family/social support needs. All members of an interdisciplinary team should be trained in the specific competence of recognising older people's unmet spiritual needs. When these needs are recognised, caregivers and relatives have the chance to react.     

The Holy Spirit in Mission

God initiated mission and intends to achieve it by work of the Holy Spirit. Thus, mission—which God commands his church to accomplish—belongs to God, not to human agency. Prior to ascending to heaven, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to his disciples, and asked them to wait in Jerusalem. This Holy Spirit is given to enable them to be witnesses of Jesus from Jerusalem to the end of the world. This implies that the church has to partner with the Holy Spirit to fulfil this mission. Missionaries need to consciously work together with Spirit and be directed and guided by the Spirit.