A grounded theory study of Chinese female spouses of problem gamblers in Hong Kong: emergence of a multiple-paradigm coping model

As Chinese immigrants in the United Kingdom age, they experience an increasing need to access health and care services. It has, however, been reported that older Chinese immigrants have difficulties in accessing these services. This study explored the experiences of this population in using health and care services and the strategies that they adopted to address their difficulties. A grounded theory method with a two-staged research design was used. Stage 1 explored the participants' experiences of ageing and use of health and social care services through focus group interviews. Stage 2 investigated the strategies individuals used to support access to and use of services through individual interviews. Forty-four older Chinese people and 15 supporters participated in interviews during August 2011 and May 2013. These older Chinese immigrants were challenged in knowing about and in accessing services. Their difficulties were attributed to language barriers, lack of information and instrumental support, and emotional and cultural issues regarding use of health and care services. Their supporters facilitated access to services and acted as a bridge between the service and the user; therefore, they were given the title 'Bridge People'. Bridge People have different backgrounds: family and friends, public sector workers and staff from community-based Chinese organisations. The defining attributes of these supporters were: bilinguality, bicultural, multifunctionality and accessibility. There is no charge for this support; and the relationship between the Bridge Person and recipient involves trust and influence over decisions regarding use of health and care services. Bridge People should be recognised and identified by health, social care and housing services to promote engagement and use of services by older immigrant Chinese people.

The existing literature on religion and family indicates that religious beliefs and practices are correlated with various aspects of marriage and family life. Chinese immigrants are an important part of the U.S. population. However, very little is known about the relationship between religion and marriage for Chinese immigrants. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between Christianity and marriage in Chinese immigrant families based on in-depth qualitative interviews. Sixteen highly religious Chinese Christian couples were interviewed to examine how religious faith influenced their perceptions of marriage and family life. Most of the participants in this study held advanced graduate degrees. Their ages ranged from 28-66, and the number of children ranged from one to four. Grounded theory methods (including open coding and axial coding) were applied to analyze the data. Based on my interview data, five central, emergent themes were indentified: 1) Moving from atheism to theism: “God is love;” 2) Changing perceptions of marriage: “Marriage is established by God;” 3) The importance of shared faith: “Equally yoked;” 4) Challenges with religious faith; and 5) A new priority: “Put God first.” Supporting qualitative data was presented in connection with each of these five themes. Implications for research and practice related to Chinese immigrants’ marriage and family in the U.S. are discussed.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the psychological adjustment process of expatriates from Chinese multinational enterprises, including how their social capital affects this process.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative investigation was based on semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 26 Chinese expatriates. The grounded theory method was applied to guide the data collection and analysis.FindingsThe psychological adjustment process of Chinese expatriates includes three periods: crisis, self-adjustment and self-growth period. In addition, bonding capital (including organizational, family and co-cultural colleagues’ support) is more conducive to Chinese expatriates’ psychological well-being than bridging capital (e.g. host-nationals’ support). Finally, a separation acculturation strategy is more conducive to psychological adjustment, rather than an integration strategy.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focused on expatriates themselves. Future research should consider other stakeholders (e.g. organizations, family), and examine expatriate adjustment from new perspectives (e.g. strategic human resource management, work-family balance). This study had a small sample and focused on only one organization. Future research could usefully add other Chinese multinational corporations, and other Chinese expatriates to expand the generalizability of the current findings.Practical implicationsThis study suggests the possible benefits of management practices for expatriates. Organizations can develop an “expatriate bubble” to help structure basic life overseas. Organizations could develop family-support programs and make them expatriate-supportive. Organizations should also strengthen the connections between expatriates and local colleagues.Originality/valueFew scholars have elaborated on how different support groups (based on their cultural backgrounds) influence the psychological adjustment of expatriates. Until now, mainland Chinese expatriates have received little attention. In addition, this research takes a significant step forward by illuminating the psychological adjustment of Chinese expatriates from a social capital perspective.

This was a qualitative study using grounded theory method. To explain the process of family-centered empowerment in a population of individuals with SCI living in Iran. Brain and SCI Research Center, Social Welfare Center, and SCI Association of Tehran; Iran. Participants were 19 persons with traumatic SCI, 13 family member caregivers, and 11 health care providers selected through purposeful sampling. Data were collected using face-to-face, semi-structured interviews, which were continued until data saturation. The interview data were methodically collected and analyzed using Strauss and Corbin's (1998) recommended method for grounded theory. Constant comparative analysis was simultaneously conducted through reviews of the interview statements, observations of behavior, interviewer field notes, and interviewer memos. The analysis was managed in MAXQDA software version 10. The process of family-centered empowerment following SCI included five categories: (1) disruption in the existential integrity of the individual; (2) constructive life recovery; (3) inhibitors of family-centered empowerment; (4) facilitators of family-centered empowerment, and (5) back on track. Constructive life recovery was selected as the core variable using the grounded theory method. This core variable identified the strategies most frequently used by the participants to cope with the challenges of SCI-related impairment, disability, and overall life management. Family-centered empowerment process in individuals with SCI living in Iran emerged from the data. The model includes early disruptions in the bio-psycho-social and vocational lives of individuals with SCI and their families, strategies for recovery post injury, inhibitors and facilitators of family-centered empowerment, the gradual return to work and daily activities, and the expected social roles for individuals with SCI.

The complexity of problems facing society continues to grow, and decision-makers and problem-solvers are finding many of today's emerging problems to be beyond their capability to adequately address. There is agreement in the literature that problems of this nature are complex system problems, inextricably linked to some highly complex system of systems. Establishing a clear understanding of the specific complex system context is fundamental to the process of understanding and analyzing complex systems and complex system problems across all of the different systems-based disciplines. While complex system context is widely referred to in systems literature, there is no clear characterization of exactly what system context is, making this foundational system concept ambiguous. This research addressed this gap in the systems body of knowledge by providing the needed detail and clarity to the concept of complex system context. A rigorous research methodology, employing the grounded theory method, was used to analyze data collected through a series of semi-structured interviews conducted with individuals reflecting a wide range of systems education and practical experience. Two research questions were identified as integral to increasing the understanding of context within complex systems. (1) What are the constituent elements of complex system context, and what attributes and dimensions characterize these elements? (2) What systems-based framework can be developed for constructing and articulating complex system context? Using the grounded theory method, a theory of system context was constructed, adding to the systems body of knowledge and substantiating a comprehensive and unambiguous theoretical construct for system context within complex systems. Then, based on this theory, a conceptual model to articulate and capture system-specific complex system context was developed---the Complex System Contextual Framework (CSCF). The CSCF shows significant promise for contribution to systems practitioners by supporting the future development of tools to help practitioners capture system context as a part of complex system problem formulation. The research also made a contribution in the area of research methodologies by furthering the use of the grounded theory method in the engineering management and systems engineering domain, an area where its application has been very limited.

The purpose of this study was to qualitative analysis of effective psychological factors on stress and fear of covid-19 virus during corona outbreak using grounded theory method (GTM). The emergence of a new form of coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China created a confusing situation that was rapidly evolving and spread dramatically to other provinces and regions of China and then to the rest of the world. The aim of this study was to qualitatively analyze the psychological factors affecting stress and fear of Covid-19 virus during corona outbreak using grounded theory (GTM) method among students of Islamic Azad University, Electronic Branch. This research has been a qualitative research in terms of basic purpose, in terms of descriptive-survey method and in terms of data type. The study population was the students of Islamic Azad University, electronic unit and the selected sample was 30 students studying in the second semester of 2019-20 of this university unit who were selected by available sampling method. The tool used in the research was a semi-structured interview that was conducted online. Findings showed that 6 psychological factors affecting stress and fear of Covid-19 virus were identified as worry about virus infection, socio-economic consequences, fear of strangers, traumatic stress symptoms, emergency response and fear.According to the identified factors, it is predicted that when we go through this epidemic, significant mental health needs will appear in people who need measurements to provide a useful solution to improve the mental health of people.

Parents of Black autistic children use several strategies to cope with daily stressors. These strategies include seeking social support, self-care, and optimism. We asked parents about their experiences receiving treatment services for their autistic child and how they reduce parenting stress. Twenty-two parents completed a coping survey and participated in individual interviews. Few studies have explored the experiences of Black families raising autistic children, and it's important for healthcare and other systems of care to understand the role culture, race, and ethnicity play in the use of coping strategies. In our study, the majority of parents relied on social support to relieve stress and identified partners, family, and community members, as their most useful sources of support. Connecting with other parents of autistic children, through support groups and social media, also helped parents relieve stress. Parents discussed using self-care activities (e.g. church, exercising, listening to music) to cope with stressors. Several parents described how prayer and meditation helped them reframe stressful situations and gain more patience and appreciation for "what's important." The findings of this work demonstrate the need for professionals to have ongoing and deeper conversations about the ways in which parents deal with stressors. In particular, clinicians should leverage the strengths of Black families and promote strategies that are culturally informed and engaged.

Background: It is estimated that 50% of the UK leisure horse population are overweight/obese, which leads to laminitis, disability and premature death. In human contexts, practitioners ‘make every contact count’ (MECC) to support overweight/obesity management. However, there was no research into whether farriers, who regularly shoe horses’ hooves, MECC when working with owners. Aims: The aim of this research was to explore whether and how farriers MECC to support owners in managing horse overweight/obesity to prevent and manage laminitis. Methods: A classical grounded theory methodology framed multi-methods research. Study 1 involved a classical grounded theory method (GTM) to analyse semi-structured interviews with farriers (n=12) and horse owners (n=11). Study 2 used a case study method to collect and analyse evidence of farrier-owner interaction in a MECC consultation. Study 3 adopted a quantitative method to operationalise the grounded theory from Study 1 using a cross-sectional farrier (n=59) and horse owner (n=140) survey design. Study 4 used a GTM to analyse additional semi-structured interviews with farriers (n=2), horse owners (n=5) and equine veterinary practitioners (EVPs) (n=10). Analysis: The research identified typologies for farrier role construction (technically- and holistically-focused) and owner engagement (task- and welfare-focused), and how a contracting process led to four contexts of care which involved concordance or discordance. When holistically-focused farriers work with welfare-focused owners, farriers are more likely to MECC in supporting owners to prevent and manage laminitis. However, this depends upon their role being legitimised through interaction with owners and EVPs, and the mutual recognition of expectations, rights, obligations, standards of practice and behaviour. When farriers do not work in this way, and owners lack the knowledge to manage horse weight/obesity and recognise laminitis risks, important opportunities for its prevention and horse welfare are missed. Conclusion: The research highlights the importance of supporting farrier and EVP professional development, and owner education in understanding the potential of the farrier’s role in MECC to support owners to manage horse overweight/obesity and the laminitis risk associated with it.

Increasingly researchers are interested in the nexus of older adults, migration and health. Grounded theory is an ideal methodology to use in qualitative studies seeking to better understand the processes surrounding immigrants’ resettlement and how they maintain their wellbeing. To date, grounded theory methods have been employed in New Zealand research with older Asian immigrants; however, such research has only involved one ethnic group per study. Internationally, there is a dearth of research using grounded theory methods with participants from multiple ethnic communities. This paper describes the steps undertaken in developing a cross cultural grounded theory study of Chinese, Indian, and Korean senior immigrants’ contribution to New Zealand society. The challenges, learnings, and benefits of undertaking such research are explored and recommendations put forth for developing the use of a grounded theory methodology in cross cultural studies.

Social support and coping strategies are important determinants of health, especially for those in the immigrant community adjusting to a new environment. This study assessed the buffering effects of perceived social support and different coping styles on cardiovascular reactivity to stress among Chinese immigrants in the New York City Chinatown area. Participants (N = 50, 76% women, and 22-84 years old) completed questionnaires assessing their perceived social support and coping strategy preferences. They were then asked to recall a stress-provoking event related to their immigration experience in a semi-structured interview format. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses confirmed the interaction effect between perceived social support and problem-focused, emotion-focused, or reappraisal coping on heart rate reactivity. Additionally, Chinese immigrants who upheld more Chinese values were highly correlated with stronger perceived availability of social support and were more likely to incorporate the use of problem-focused and reappraisal coping styles. Findings suggest that high level of social support and the use of reappraisal coping strategies were associated with attenuated cardiovascular responses to stress.

Objectives: In nursing homes, intergenerational relationships has of particular importance because people of different ages and from different generations interact with each other. Health care workers, including nurses, can cover a wide range of intergenerational relationships in the form of care provided to the elderly. Despite the importance of intergenerational relationship among the elderly, the related challenges in nursing homes in Iran have not been studied yet. Therefore, this study aims to identify the factors affecting intergenerational relationships in nursing homes in Iran. Methods & Materials: This is a qualitative study that was conducted in three nursing homes in Tehran, Iran using the grounded theory method. Participants were 13 older residents and 8 employees working in nursing homes (Five nurses, one supervisor, one psychologist and one nursing home manager) who were recruited purposively. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data and sorted by constant comparison method. Data analysis was performed using Strauss and Corbin’s grounded theory method. Results: Data analysis yielded five main categories. “Intergenerational tensions” was the main variable. The causal condition for this variable was titled “Tensions based on psychological factors”. The contextual factors in nursing homes were in a group titled “defective platform of intergenerational relationships”. The intervening factors included facilitators of and barriers to intergenerational relationships. Strategies was titled “Efforts to preserve existence” and consequences were titled “living with insecurity”. Conclusion: Generational differences between nursing home residents and staffs make it difficult to establish effective relationships between them which can cause poor quality care. The findings can help nursing home managers to apply strategies to remove barriers to intergenerational relationships and know how to improve these relationships and create greater cohesion between generations so that it can lead to better care and subsequently improved quality of life in the elderly.

Background and purpose: One of the main concerns of efficient managers at different levels is how to create suitable platforms for working human factors to work with a sense of responsibility and full commitment to the issues of society and their profession and to observe the ethical principles governing their jobs and professions. Therefore, the current research aimed to design an extra-organizational professional ethics model for Tehran's deputy heads and vice presidents of education districts. Methodology: The research method was a qualitative combination using the grounded theory method and the structural equation model using a quantitative method. The research population consisted of vice presidents and presidents of education districts in Tehran, 30 people were selected in the qualitative section, and 130 people were selected in the quantitative section from vice presidents and presidents of 22 education districts in Tehran. The research tools were semi-structured interviews and researcher-made questionnaires to measure extra-organizational professional ethics. The data were collected in the qualitative part by the grounded theory method and then analyzed by the structural equation model test in Lisrel software. Results: The results of the exploratory analysis yielded the following factors. Three core categories of professional ethics, moral (normative) and moral knowledge; Four cases of causal conditions include: organizational strategies, training, management factors, and resources; Two cases of the phenomenon's contexts; two strategies of institutionalization and evaluation; Two intervening factors are structural factors and organizational procedures and regulations; And a consequence that is the development of individual and organizational professional ethics. Conclusion: The analysis of the relationship path between the variables showed that all the communication paths were significant, and only the path of unnecessary regulations on evaluation and organizational culture on evaluation was not significant. Finally, the tested model showed a good fit in terms of validity.

The effective management of difficult employees is a critical challenge for leaders in any workplace. The problematic behavior and poor attitude of an employee can quickly spread and negatively impact their productivity as well as that of other team members. The objective of this study is to propose a model for managing the organizational behavior of difficult employees at Misan University. This research was conducted using a qualitative-inductive approach and employed Strauss and Corbin’s grounded theory method. A semi-structured interview was used as the data collection tool. Using the grounded theory method, data obtained from interviews with 16 experts in the field of education (including managers and academic experts at Misan University) were analyzed through three stages of open, axial, and selective coding. The findings resulted in 20 general categories, structured within a paradigmatic model. These factors encompass causal conditions (negative organizational behaviors, negative managerial behaviors, factors contributing to difficult behavior, and organizational harm), the central phenomenon (management of difficult employees), contextual conditions (negative organizational culture, negative communication, inappropriate organizational changes, and ineffective leadership), intervening conditions (flawed policies and procedures, and an unsuitable work environment), strategies (designing a human resource management model, formulating organizational policies and regulations, effective management of difficult employees in the organization, and providing psychological-social support), and outcomes (a healthier and more efficient workplace, cultural enhancement, improved organizational performance, enhanced human resource management effectiveness, and a reduction in difficult behaviors)

In this study, we aimed to understand how active duty service members and their partners navigate the infertility care process within the Military Health System (MHS) while managing a military career. We obtained Institutional Review Board approval to employ a qualitative design using grounded theory methods. We recruited participants using purposive sampling, followed by theoretical sampling. We derived data from demographic questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Consistent with grounded theory methods, we began analysis with line-by-line coding and moved to focused coding. We employed constant comparative analysis throughout the process to name, categorize, and conceptualize data and relationships. The participants included 28 patients, five partners, nine health care providers, and two military leaders. The infertility care process began with active duty service members and their partners recognizing the desire to have a child and discovering infertility, followed by deciding to seek infertility care. The experience was temporally bound within the context of the military environment. We identified the following themes, which described facilitators and barriers to accessing care: Duty station location, career stage, military versus the civilian cost of services, command climate, and policy. These facilitators and barriers varied widely across the Department of Defense (DoD), which resulted in fragmented and inconsistent care cycles, contributed to emotional and physical stress, and created tension between career progression and family formation. Understanding how military couples perceive and manage demands of infertility care may enhance access to care, decrease patient costs, improve outcomes, result in better support for military couples who experience infertility, and ultimately improve the health and military readiness of our armed forces. The results support the need for action by providers, policy makers, and military leaders to develop effective infertility treatment programs and policies in the DoD.

In light of the growing racialized immigrant population in Canada and advances in dating technologies, this study examines Chinese immigrants' partner preferences and mate selection processes through the lens of online dating. We draw on in-depth interviews with 31 Chinese immigrants who have used online dating services in Metro Vancouver to search for different-sex partners. Chinese immigrant online daters show strong preferences for dating Chinese. They emphasize permanent residency status and similarity in age at arrival when evaluating potential partners. Given their preferences, Chinese immigrants strategically choose the dating platforms they primarily use. Men exhibit higher selectivity in their preferences and choices of platforms. Notably, platforms catering to Chinese users create "digital ethnic enclaves" where Chinese immigrant daters congregate. The findings illuminate the intersection of race, gender, immigrant status, and age at arrival in shaping divergent experiences of mate selection and immigrant assimilation in the digital era.