Effective Support Practices Research Articles

Nurses during war: Profiles-based risk and protective factors.

Nurses in southern Israel's public hospitals were exposed to unusual traumatic events following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, and the ensuing Swords of Iron War. This study aimed to clarify the complexity of wartime nursing by identifying profiles based on risk factors (i.e., psychological distress and adjustment disorders) and protective factors (i.e., positive affect (PA), resilience, and perceived social support [PSS]). This study utilizes a cross-sectional design. Two hundred nurses at a major public hospital in southern Israel completed self-report questionnaires. A latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify distinct profiles based on nurses' risk and protective factors. Differences in profiles were examined alongside sociodemographic and occupational variables and traumatic event exposure. The LPA was conducted using MPlus 8.8 Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) software. Two distinct profiles were identified: "reactive" and "resilient." The "reactive" group included nurses who had higher risk factor scores (psychological distress and adjustment disorder), whereas the "resilient" group included nurses who had higher protective factor scores (PA, resilience, and PSS). Furthermore, nurses in the "reactive" group were younger, with greater seniority, worse self-rated health, and a higher frequency of kidnapped family members compared to nurses from the "resilient" group. Nurses in wartime are at risk if identified as "reactive." Identifying these profiles can assist in developing effective support practices to help nurses cope with wartime challenges and maintain their mental well-being. Healthcare organizations should tailor interventions to prepare and support nurses of various ages and experience levels, during and after conflicts. This approach aims to reduce risk factors and promote protective factors among nurses during wartime.

An exploration of the views of staff on cultural aspects of end-of-life care in Japanese long-term care facilities: a qualitative study

AbstractLong-term care facilities are increasingly important places for palliative and end-of-life care provision in Japan. While the importance of culture has been noted for palliative and end-of-life care, an exploration of its influence on care provision in long-term care settings has received little direct attention in Japan. Exploring staff views and beliefs in palliative and end-of-life care in these settings can potentially enhance our understanding of culturally oriented care and facilitate the development of tailored and more effective support practices. This study aimed to explore the cultural views and beliefs regarding palliative and end-of-life care among the staff in Japanese long-term care facilities. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted using focus groups with facility staff (N = 71) and semi-structured interviews with facility managers (N = 10) in the Kanto region of Japan. Thematic analysis was conducted according to Braun and Clarke's approach. The findings are presented in five key themes: ‘Changes in society's and family's end-of-life perspectives’, ‘Values and beliefs regarding death and dying’, ‘Anxiety and regret’, ‘Tensions in doing the right thing’ and ‘Ways of alleviating pressure’. The findings indicate that the provision of palliative and end-of-life care is underpinned by cultural nuances that influence care providers' approach and delivery. Recognising and understanding the cultural beliefs of staff around death, dying and end-of-life care are important in meeting the needs of residents. Palliative care education for staff in these settings should include cultural considerations that reflect changing societal views on death and dying.

Doctoral students navigating the borderlands of academic teaching in an era of precarity

ABSTRACT Neoliberalisation of academia has led to an increasing recruitment of doctoral students in teaching roles. Whilst there is evidence of doctoral students being engaged in teaching roles and the reasons for doing so, there is a pressing need to understand their experiences and to develop effective support practices to help them in their roles as teachers. Using borderlands theory as a lens, the thematic analysis of case study data from doctoral students in two English universities indicates that although they were navigating similar borderlands, the structural inequalities posed by their institutions led to differential support for their teaching roles and teacher identity development. The paper highlights the need for aligning doctoral roles to academic roles. It concludes by challenging the precarious support available for doctoral students, and proposes recommendations for the holistic development of doctoral students as competent and successful teachers (and researchers) in an increasingly precarious academia.

Effect of Family Functioning on Preschoolers’ School Readiness: Mediating Effects of Mothers’ Affective Parenting and Preschoolers’ Self-regulation

This study examined if the effect of family functioning on preschoolers’ school readiness can be mediated by mothers’ affective parenting and preschoolers’ self-regulation in the year before children enter elementary school. This study analyzed the 7<sup>th</sup> year data of panel study of Korean children collected by the Korean Institute of Child Care and Education. Statistical analysis included 1,513 pairs of 6-year-old children and mothers. Descriptive statistics analysis, correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and bootstrapping analysis were conducted using SPSS 22 and Amos 20. The primary findings were as follows. First, the sub-factors of preschoolers’ school readiness composed of children’s social and emotional development, approach to learning, cognitive development and general knowledge, and communication were positively correlated with family functioning, mothers’ affective parenting, and preschoolers’ self-regulation. Second, the result of structural equation modeling showed that the indirect paths from family functioning to preschoolers’ school readiness through mothers’ affective parenting and preschoolers’ self-regulation were significant, while the direct path was insignificant. Third, bootstrapping analysis showed that mothers’ affective parenting and preschoolers’ self-regulation fully mediated the relationship between family functioning and preschoolers’ self-regulation. The findings provide the grounds for families and parents with preschool aged children to implement effective support practices to maintain a functional family system that can promote preschoolers’ school readiness.

The Longitudinal Effects of Multicultural Adolescents’ Appearance Satisfaction and Korean Language Skills on School Adjustment and the Mediating Effect of Self-esteem

This study examined the longitudinal effects of appearance satisfaction and Korean language skills on the self-esteem and school adjustment of multicultural adolescents. The study used data from 1,151 multicultural adolescents from the 3rd, 4th, and 5th waves of the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS). Data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s αlpha, correlation, and structural equation modeling. The results are as follows. First, appearance satisfaction and Korean language skills at grade 6 significantly predicted higher self-esteem at grade 7. Second, there was a significant influence of high levels of self-esteem at grade 7 on positive school adjustment of grade 8. Last, the self-esteem at grade 7 had a significant mediating effect in the relationship between appearance satisfaction and Korean language skills at grade 6 and school adjustment at grade 8. The results of this study highlighted the importance of self-esteem as a mediating factor in the connection between appearance satisfaction and Korean language skills as well as the level of school adjustment. This provides supporting evidence to many educators and parents for the implementation of effective support practices for multicultural adolescents to enhance their school adjustment. Other related implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are also discussed. Keywords: school adjustment, self-esteem, longitudinal study, Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study

What Affects Middle School Students’ English Anxiety in the EFL Context? Evidence from South Korea

This paper examines what affects adolescents’ English anxiety in the English as Foreign Langauage (EFL) context. A total of 414 adolescents in South Korea participated in the study and the AMOS 20.0 was used in structural equation modeling for statistical analysis. The results are as follows. Girls showed a higher level of English anxiety and self-directed learning ability than boys. Second, adolescents’ English self-efficacy had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between parental pressure expectation and English anxiety. Third, parental pressure expectation had a significant effect on English anxiety through self-directed learning and English self-efficacy. Fourth, a gender difference in the paths of the models was significant. This provides supporting evidence to many educators and parents for the implementation of effective support practices for adolescents who learn English in EFL contexts similar to Korea to reduce thier English anxiety.

Relationships between organizational and individual support, nurses' ethical competence, ethical safety, and work satisfaction.

Organizations and nurse leaders do not always effectively support nurses' ethical competence. More information is needed about nurses' perceptions of this support and relevant factors to improve it. The aim of the study was to examine relationships between nurses' perceived organizational and individual support, ethical competence, ethical safety, and work satisfaction. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted. Questionnaires were distributed to nurses (n = 298) working in specialized, primary, or private health care in Finland. Descriptive statistics, multifactor analysis of variance, and linear regression analysis were used to test the relationships. The nurses reported low organizational and individual support for their ethical competence, whereas perceptions of their ethical competence, ethical safety, and work satisfaction were moderate. There were statistically significant positive correlations between both perceived individual and organizational support, and ethical competence, nurses' work satisfaction, and nurses' ethical safety. Organizational and individual support for nurses' ethical competence should be strengthened, at least in Finland, by providing more ethics education and addressing ethical problems in multiprofessional discussions. Findings confirm that organizational level support for ethical competence improves nurses' work satisfaction. They also show that individual level support improves nurses' sense of ethical safety, and both organizational and individual support strengthen nurses' ethical competence. These findings should assist nurse leaders to implement effective support practices to strengthen nurses' ethical competence, ethical safety, and work satisfaction.

Academic Support at the University of KwaZulu-Natal: A Systematic Review of Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles, 2010–2015

The aim of this systematic review was to examine research studies which focus on effective student support practices and show evidence of credible assessment. To identify effective student support practices, and also to provide a contemporary picture of effective support practices at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, 24 studies which met the inclusion criteria were reviewed and analysed in terms of: (i) aims, (ii) main participants, (iii) methodology used and (iv) the main outcomes emerging. The findings from the review indicate that there is a diversity of available evidence, ranging from assessment of peer support programmes, alternative access programmes to curriculum-based interventions. However, most of these studies are cross-sectional qualitative studies, which also draw from relatively small samples. This suggests that more large-scale studies are needed in the field in order to provide greater insight into effective student support practices. In addition, research which examines academic support programmes over long periods of time while also controlling for programme effects is recommended.

The influence of organizational and functional support on the development of salesperson job satisfaction

This article investigates whether organizational and functional support (OS and FS) provided to the sales force are distinct determinants of salesperson job satisfaction. We examine whether salesperson trust in their supervisor and in the organization serve as mediating mechanisms through which OS is translated to salesperson job satisfaction. Using data from 157 salespeople in a health care field setting, we explore the relationship between OS and job satisfaction as mediated by trust and moderated by the extent of FS provided to salespeople. Study results were consistent with the hypothesized conceptual scheme of moderated mediation, in that FS moderated the indirect effect of OS on job satisfaction through trust in organization but not through trust in supervisor. These findings broaden current understanding of relationships among trust, OS and job satisfaction and illustrate that the OS–salesperson job satisfaction linkage is more nuanced than previously depicted. This study has important implications for the practice, as it reinforces the notion that trust is essential in a social based employment relationship, yet challenging to manage. Organizations should avoid overinvesting in specific support offered to the sales force and train their supervisors to enact the most effective support practices.

A complete circuit: the role of communication between class teachers and support staff and the planning of effective learning opportunities

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to explore how support staff make sense of their experiences of assisting children with additional support needs in mainstream classes. Focussed and productive communication with the class teacher was perceived as being crucial to effective practice. A conclusion of this study is that absence of communication relating to pedagogy and pupil need between class teachers and support staff prevents effective planning on the part of the teacher and effective support practices on the part of the additional supporting adult.