John Gallacher, Clive Mitchell, Luke Heslop and Gary Christopher
This paper's aim is to explore factors underlying resilience to health adversity, where resilience is defined as better perceived health after adjusting for the presence of doctor…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper's aim is to explore factors underlying resilience to health adversity, where resilience is defined as better perceived health after adjusting for the presence of doctor diagnosed heart disease, stroke or diabetes (vascular disease).
Design/methodology/approach
A population sample of 667 men and women aged 50+ years from South Wales was recruited to participate in an epidemiologic study and were consented and assessed online. Participation included health status, psychological and cognitive assessment. Structural equation modelling was used to model causal pathways. The analysis presents baseline data for this sample.
Findings
After adjustment for vascular disease, self‐esteem was associated with higher perceived health (β=0.279, p<0.001) whilst depression was associated with lower perceived health (β=−0.368, p<0.001). Self‐efficacy and anxiety were not associated with perceived health. Further analysis found self‐esteem to buffer an effect of vascular disease on depression, reducing the impact of depression on perceived health.
Practical implications
Cognitive and affective factors are involved in resilience, in relation to health these are specific to self‐esteem and depression. Although more complex associations may be found with other adversities, in relation to health, interventions to improve self‐esteem and ameliorate depression are likely to increase resilience.
Originality/value
Resilience has been modelled as a process involving cognitive and affective response to adversity. In the context of health, the adverse effect of depression on health perception was mediated by self‐esteem. These associations add to the understanding of the processes underlying resilience and suggest opportunities for interventions designed to increase resilience to health adversities.
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Talk around Britain's application to enter the European Economic Community goes on; it has never really ceased since the first occasion of the French veto, although in the last…
Abstract
Talk around Britain's application to enter the European Economic Community goes on; it has never really ceased since the first occasion of the French veto, although in the last year or so, the airy promise of the first venture has given way to more sober thoughts on the obstacles to joining and the severe burdens to be carried not only by the British people but by many of our kith and kin beyond the seas if the country becomes a full member of the Community.
Clive P. Mitchell, Gareth Morgan and John Gallacher
The evaluation of primary and other care services for older people remains difficult due to the challenges of cost‐effective sampling and assessment of older people's views. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The evaluation of primary and other care services for older people remains difficult due to the challenges of cost‐effective sampling and assessment of older people's views. The internet is an increasingly attractive option for evaluation due to its low cost and flexibility of use. The purpose of this paper is to report on a pilot study into the use of a web‐platform with older people.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 552 community dwelling men and women, aged at least 50 years, participated in an epidemiologic study conducted entirely remotely which included questions on the provision of services for older people.
Findings
The sample was heterogeneous being 52 per cent male, an age range of 50‐95 years (x¯=64 years) and with 13 per cent being in the two most deprived categories of social deprivation. Awareness of the National Service Framework for older people was low (14 per cent). For areas covered by the policy satisfaction with the availability of services was generally high (>70 per cent), whilst satisfaction with level of consultation was low (≤30 per cent).
Originality/value
This study shows that the internet is a viable technology for the evaluation of primary and other care services in older people.
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John Gallacher, Clive Mitchell, Andrea Rengifo and Paul Burton
Understanding what is meant by ‘the good life’ has challenged philosophers and scientists for centuries with contrasting views emphasising either virtue or success. This study…
Abstract
Understanding what is meant by ‘the good life’ has challenged philosophers and scientists for centuries with contrasting views emphasising either virtue or success. This study applies structural equation modelling (SEM) to the self‐evaluations of older people to explore how they perceive ‘the good life’. Self‐evaluations were used to operationalise the concepts underlying ‘the good life’ with life satisfaction being used to provide a global evaluation of flourishing (overall life quality), self‐esteem being used to assess commitment to virtue and self‐efficacy being use to assess commitment to success. A population sample of 632 men and women aged 50 years and older, recruited to participate in an epidemiologic study, were consented and assessed online. Participation included psychological assessment. The analysis presents baseline data for this sample.After adjustment for negative emotions (anxiety and depression) age, self‐report health, deprivation and financial status, a path analysis found that life satisfaction was influenced by self‐esteem (β=0.27, pThese findings may be interpreted at several levels, although inferences on causality must be tentative. In terms of ‘the good life’, the global evaluation of life by older people is directly influenced by virtue rather than success, with success being important insofar as it contributes to virtue. In short, older people deriving satisfaction from achieving things they consider to be worthwhile: the wisdom of years.
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Adam Polnay, Helen Walker and Christopher Gallacher
Relational dynamics between patients and staff in forensic settings can be complicated and demanding for both sides. Reflective practice groups (RPGs) bring clinicians together to…
Abstract
Purpose
Relational dynamics between patients and staff in forensic settings can be complicated and demanding for both sides. Reflective practice groups (RPGs) bring clinicians together to reflect on these dynamics. To date, evaluation of RPGs has lacked quantitative focus and a suitable quantitative tool. Therefore, a self-report tool was designed. This paper aims to pilot The Relational Aspects of CarE (TRACE) scale with clinicians in a high-secure hospital and investigate its psychometric properties.
Design/methodology/approach
A multi-professional sample of 80 clinicians were recruited, completing TRACE and attitudes to personality disorder questionnaire (APDQ). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) determined factor structure and internal consistency of TRACE. A subset was selected to measure test–retest reliability. TRACE was cross-validated against the APDQ.
Findings
EFA found five factors underlying the 20 TRACE items: “awareness of common responses,” “discussing and normalising feelings;” “utilising feelings,” “wish to care” and “awareness of complicated affects.” This factor structure is complex, but items clustered logically to key areas originally used to generate items. Internal consistency (α = 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.55–0.76) demonstrated borderline acceptability. TRACE demonstrated good test–retest reliability (intra-class correlation = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.78–0.98) and face validity. TRACE indicated a slight negative correlation with APDQ. A larger data set is needed to substantiate these preliminary findings.
Practical implications
Early indications suggested TRACE was valid and reliable, suitable to measure the effectiveness of reflective practice.
Originality/value
The TRACE was a distinctive measure that filled a methodological gap in the literature.
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David Gibson and Vasilios Tavlaridis
The purpose of this paper is to present the results of using work-based learning (WBL) pedagogy within the curriculum to embed enterprise skills within the Liverpool John Moores…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the results of using work-based learning (WBL) pedagogy within the curriculum to embed enterprise skills within the Liverpool John Moores University and review the potential relevance of WBL pedagogy to create impactful learning experiences within the curriculum.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used quantitative methodology for this study using a pre- and post-program questionnaire (E-factor) to measure their entrepreneurial competencies. Data were collected from over 500 students over a two-year period.
Findings
The study indicates that WBL can provided transformational learning experiences for students of all disciplines as 85 percent of the students enhanced their entrepreneurial competencies and mindsets.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides significant evidence of the impact WBL pedagogy had on students over a two-year period at the Liverpool John Moores University. However, the data were collected from the student population of a single higher education institution and longitudinal evidence is needed to evaluate the long-term benefits of completing a comparative study with another university.
Practical implications
The WBL pedagogical approach can be applied to all subject areas to allow enterprise education to be embedded throughout the university curriculum. The research also shows that “live” civic engagement projects provides excellent examples of experiential learning and reflection in the assessment process.
Originality/value
The approach is relevant to all universities seeking to embed enterprise within all curriculums in line with the QAA draft guidelines (2012). The student experience should also be significantly enhanced through the provision of transformational learning experience for all students. It provides a clear methodology that can be customized for application to curricular enterprise education in all subject areas in all universities in the UK and indeed internationally.