Emotional Relief Research Articles

Childbirth experiences of immigrant women in Chile: Trading human rights and autonomy for dignity and good care

BackgroundChildbirth is a transcendent life experience but may also be a moment of great vulnerability, especially when it occurs outside the mother's country of origin. ObjectiveTo explore the perceptions and experiences of Spanish-speaking immigrant women regarding the healthcare they received during labour and childbirth in Santiago, Chile. MethodsThis qualitative, transcendental phenomenological research was performed at two maternity hospitals using purposive criterion sampling. Eighteen individual and two group interviews were conducted. The resulting information was transcribed and then coded and categorised using phenomenological analysis. ResultsSix categories were extracted from the narratives which reflect a pragmatic relationship with the healthcare team that included a perception of ‘justified’ lack of care. The mothers’ exercise of autonomy was subjugated by power-knowledge relations between the women and caregiver that compelled them to refrain from expressing their needs and preferences out of fear of abuse. The women valued emotional support, pain relief and satisfaction of needs in association with medical procedures and companionship. The women rated their experiences as positive if they avoided mistreatment and, as ‘the essence of the experience’, perceived the care as a favour rather than a right. ConclusionMost immigrant women felt that they had received treatment similar to that of native-born mothers. However, low expectations of autonomy shaped their evaluations of the experiences. Also, a high value on companionship and pain relief, characterised the women's experiences of childbirth. These findings of the interviews reflect a need for a stronger focus on empowerment with an emphasis on gender and rights.

The lived experience of family members who care for children with cancer: An interpretative phenomenological approach.

This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of family carers in the care of children with cancer. A phenomenological hermeneutic approach was conducted, informed by the philosophy of Martin Heidegger. Fourteen interviews were conducted with family members: mothers (n=9), grandmothers and fathers (n=5). Fourteen family carers were voluntarily enrolled from a public children's oncology department in Bethlehem in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyze the data. Three major themes emerged from the data analysis. The first theme was the caring experience, which included three subthemes: changing priorities over time, information given about children's illness, and parents suffering due to treating irritable children. The second theme was the challenges to effective care, which illustrates the most significant challenges faced during caring, including the effects of family relations and emotional support. The final theme was around the support system; family carers found several resources to support them in their children's care, including other parents' experiences with similar diseases, the hospital environment, and their religious beliefs. This study informs parents and healthcare providers about the daily lived experiences of family carers. Healthcare providers can fulfil a significant role in giving emotional support and relief to family carers. However, they will need continuous practise to equip them with the communication skills they require to deal with the family carers in these difficult situations.

Купирование негативных эмоций младших школьников с ограниченными возможностями здоровья

The article describes theoretical approaches to understanding the emotional sphere of primary school children with disabilities. The research featured the means of relieving negative emotions in younger schoolchildren with special needs. The goal was to identify and test the possibilities of emotional relief in this category of children. The authors determined the situations that can trigger negative emotions in children with special needs during various activities. The negative manifestations of the emotional sphere resulted from the difficulties of adaptation to a school environment, increased school anxiety, and internal conflicts. The authors also conducted a series of experiments to test various methods of emotional relief and their consequences. The methods of targeted influence proved quite efficient.

An integrated understanding of long-term sequelae after acute COVID-19

The recognition of so-called long COVID has been a great emotional relief for the many who are struggling with the aftereffects of COVID-19. Now we need to dissect this highly heterogenous syndrome; better delineate clusters of symptoms; differentiate it from other conditions and consequences of infections and hospitalisation; understand the pathophysiology, predisposing conditions, and risk factors; and indeed, learn how to better look after people with long-term complications after acute COVID-19.

Exploring the feasibility and acceptability of integrating screening for gender-based violence into HIV counselling and testing for adolescent girls and young women in Tanzania and South Africa

BackgroundGender-based violence (GBV) undermines HIV prevention and treatment cascades, particularly among women who report partner violence. Screening for violence during HIV testing, and prior to offering pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to HIV uninfected women, provides an opportunity to identify those at heightened HIV risk and greater potential for non-adherence or early discontinuation of PrEP. The paper describes our experience with offering integrated GBV screening and referral as part of HIV counselling and testing. This component was implemented within EMPOWER, a demonstration project offering combination HIV prevention, including daily oral PrEP, to young women in South Africa and Tanzania.MethodsBetween February 2017 and March 2018, a process evaluation was conducted to explore views, experiences and practices of stakeholders (study participants and study clinical staff) during implementation of the GBV screening component. This article assesses the feasibility and acceptability of the approach from multiple stakeholder perspectives, drawing on counselling session observations (n = 10), in-depth interviews with participants aged 16–24 (n = 39) and clinical staff (n = 13), and notes from debriefings with counsellors. Study process data were also collected (e.g. number of women screened and referred). Following a thematic inductive approach, qualitative data were analysed using qualitative software (NVivo 11).ResultsFindings show that 31% of young women screened positive for GBV and only 10% requested referrals. Overall, study participants accessing PrEP were amenable to being asked about violence during HIV risk assessment, as this offered the opportunity to find emotional relief and seek help, although a few found this traumatic. In both sites, the sensitive and empathetic approach of the staff helped mitigate distress of GBV disclosure. In general, the delivery of GBV screening in HCT proved to be feasible, provided that the basic principles of confidentiality, staff empathy, and absence of judgment were observed. However, uptake of linkage to further care remained low in both sites.ConclusionMost stakeholders found GBV screening acceptable and feasible. Key principles that should be in place for young women to be asked safely about GBV during HIV counselling and testing included respect for confidentiality, a youth-friendly and non-judgmental environment, and a functioning referral network.

The impact of ambivalence on recovery from non-suicidal self-injury: considerations for health professionals

Purpose Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a growing public health concern. Continued NSSI is often associated with negative outcomes, yet the behaviour usually serves a purpose for individuals who self-injure (e.g. emotional relief). As such, individuals who self-injure often experience ambivalence about the behaviour. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of recognising ambivalence as a natural and expected part of the recovery process. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws on literature regarding NSSI recovery, ambivalence towards stopping the behaviour and challenges for both clients and health professionals. Findings This paper argues that ambivalence towards self-injury can be challenging for both clients and health professionals. Clients may feel shame and sense of failure if they experience a setback; health professionals may experience frustration towards clients who continue to self-injure despite treatment. Originality/value Validation of the clients’ experience can have significant positive outcomes in treatment and help-seeking behaviours. Acknowledgement of client ambivalence during the recovery process will serve to validate clients’ experience and facilitate rapport. Health professionals who accept ambivalence as a natural part of the recovery process may experience less frustration with clients who continue to self-injure.

Frequency and Motives of Sharing Dreams: Personality Correlates

Sharing dreams is a common practice and several motives like emotional relief, entertainment, understanding the dream for doing so have been identified. However, little is known about factors associated with these motives. The present online survey (N = 1585) investigated the associations of the Big5 personality factors with motives for sharing a specific dream. Findings indicate that neurotic people tend to share dreams for the purpose of emotional relief, extraverted people for entertainment and self-expression, persons with high openness to experience are interested in the meaning of the dream and what other people think about it. In addition, the emotional tone of the shared dream showed a strong effect: positive dreams are shared for entertainment purposes and to appear more interesting and negative dreams more often for emotional relief. Longitudinal diary studies would be desirable to analyze dream sharing situations in a more detailed way, e.g., the interaction with the person the dream is shared with.

Music as a factor associated with emotional self-regulation: A study on its relationship to age during COVID-19 lockdown in Spain

The purpose of this research is to reveal the possible relational influence of age on frequency and form of music consumption, its use, and value as a factor associated with emotional self-regulation in pandemic contexts. With this objective, this study applied a transversal, descriptive and analytical design in a sample of 1377 Spaniards during the confinement of COVID-19 from March 14 to June 20, 2020. The results report that music has been an essential generalized support for living with isolation and a powerful instrument for emotional self-regulation and relief from loneliness. Although an increase of 56% in the daily use of music for self-regulation of emotions was detected, higher frequencies of consumption, mainly in solitude, and a better conception of this artistic expression are identified in the population over 51 years old. However, young people between 18 and 40 years old stood out in the use of music as a resource to alleviate loneliness. These results confirm that music seems to have arisen as one of the most used artistic expressions to cope with loneliness, to relate to the outside or as a tool to endure psychological and emotional states catalogued as negative such as anxiety, anguish and depression, among others. Likewise, they evidence its role in personal and social wellbeing in distant age ranges, and the relational influence of music and age in contexts of isolation and loneliness.

Emotional relief for patients and nurses in Traditional Chinese Medicine clinics

Emotional relief for patients and nurses in Traditional Chinese Medicine clinics

Emotional relief for patients and nurses in Traditional Chinese Medicine clinics

Emotional relief for patients and nurses in Traditional Chinese Medicine clinics

Young People's Use of Digital Health Technologies in the Global North: Narrative Review.

BackgroundA diverse array of digital technologies are available to children and young people living in the Global North to monitor, manage, and promote their health and well-being.ObjectiveThis article provides a narrative literature review of the growing number of social research studies published over the past decade that investigate the types of digital technologies used by children and young people in the Global North, in addition to investigating which of these technologies they find most useful or not useful. Key findings as well as major gaps and directions for future research are identified and discussed.MethodsA comprehensive search of relevant publications listed in Google Scholar was conducted, supported by following citation trails of these publications. The findings are listed under type of digital technology used for health: cross-media, internet, social media, apps and wearable devices, sexual health support and information, and mental health support and information.ResultsMany young people in the Global North are active users of digital health technologies. However, it is notable that they still rely on older technologies, such as websites and search engines, to find information. Apps and platforms that may not have been specifically developed for young people as digital health resources often better suit their needs. Young people appreciate the ready availability of information online, the opportunities to learn more about their bodies and health states, and the opportunities to learn how to improve their health and physical fitness. They enjoy being able to connect with peers, and they find emotional support and relief from distress by using social media platforms, YouTube, and online forums. Young people can find the vast reams of information available to them difficult to navigate. They often look to trusted adults to help them make sense of the information they find online and to provide alternative sources of information and support. Face-to-face interactions with these trusted providers remain important to young people. Risks and harms that young people report from digital health use include becoming overly obsessed with their bodies’ shape and size when using self-tracking technologies and comparing their bodies with the social media influencers they follow.ConclusionsFurther details on how young people are using social media platforms and YouTube as health support resources and for peer-to-peer sharing of information, including attention paid to the content of these resources and the role played by young social media influencers and microcelebrities, would contribute important insights to this body of literature. The role played by visual media, such as GIFs (Graphics Interchange Format) and memes, and social media platforms that have recently become very popular with young people (eg, Snapchat and TikTok) in health-related content creation and sharing requires more attention by social researchers seeking to better understand young people’s use of digital devices and software for health and fitness.

Psychological reactions of healthcare workers deployed to Wuhan from Shanxi province and how they cope during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak

Psychological reactions of healthcare workers deployed to Wuhan from Shanxi province and how they cope during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak

ОСМЫСЛЕНИЕ ОБЩЕСТВЕННО-ПОЛИТИЧЕСКОЙ РОЛИ МЕМОВ В МЕДИА ДИСКУРСЕ

The article is aimed at identifying and analyzing the main frames for conceptualizing the socio-political role of memes and the models of their linguistic representation in the newspaper articles (16 articles, mainly 2019-2020, in English) on the relevant topic. In other words, this is an attempt from a scientific standpoint to represent how modern media, which are becoming the source and means of the viral spread of Internet memes, meta-represent an element of their own communication processes. Methodologically, the study is based on examining media texts about Internet memes in the broad context of socio-political transformations emerging from the active development of forums, social networks, instant messengers, and other tools. It proceeds from analyzing the thematic grid in each article, identifying the key, repetitive lexical elements, including metaphors, associated with interpreting memes popularity and their functions, as well as taking into account some iconic components of these multimodal texts. Then I review the entire article mini-corpus to identify repetitive patterns of meme representation and study their evaluative component. These models that can be viewed as coordination patterns are further compared with the way Internet memes are considered in academic studies. As a result, it is shown that although in modern journalism the conceptualization of memes in many respects correlates with what the experts of technologically mediated communication say, the article’s appraisal of the importance for various aspects meme usage is different. Journalists are less concerned with the precise definition of the phenomenon, meme classification in terms of structural types or according to component relations in them. They do recognize that going viral is an important feature for memes, but journalists, as opposed to scholars, are less interested in what makes these information products popular and widely shared, often taking it for granted. At the same time, journalists (compared to ordinary users) nowadays are less inclined to view memes just as an entertainment. However, it should be borne in mind that changes in the functionality of memes, apparently, occur unevenly around the world and in a number of countries are less noticeable for objective reasons, and journalists may be well aware of the differences between the English-language socio-political discourse, especially in the United States, and the European one “lagging behind”. The more indicative is the desire to anticipate the inevitable future transformations and take into account the experience of the countries that are more “advanced” in terms of using memes for public and political purposes. Thus, the focus of attention in newspapers is shifted towards two frames, both of which are viewed as reflecting situations that are potentially problematic for society. One is associated with the ideas of domestic alt-right radicalism and international “information terrorism”. The second frame is also based on the concept of the world plunging into information wars which are aggravated by economic problems, social tensions, and uncertainty about future. Against this background, memes are seen as coping method, a way to let off steam and get emotional relief from tension.

Taking a Break: Daily Respite Effects of Adult Day Services as Objective and Subjective Time Away From Caregiving.

Adult day services (ADS) can provide emotional and physical relief for caregivers of persons with dementia. While prior studies conceptualized ADS use at the aggregate level as a dichotomous construct, little is known about objective and subjective respite as distinct constructs. This study investigated how objective and subjective breaks from caregiving were associated with caregivers' daily emotional well-being. Family caregivers (N = 173) whose relatives were using ADS at least twice a week participated in daily interviews over 8 consecutive days (day N = 1,359). Participants provided information on daily respite hours and daily affect. They also reported perceived frequency of breaks from caregiving responsibilities and primary and secondary caregiving stressors (i.e., overload and work conflict). Multilevel models were used to examine the research questions. On average, caregivers reported 7.12 respite hours on ADS days and 1.74 respite hours on non-ADS days. Having more objective respite was associated with higher positive affect, whereas more subjective respite was associated with lower negative affect, after controlling for ADS use and other covariates. Further, caregivers with greater work conflict experienced more benefits to their positive affect as a result of objective respite. Objective and subjective respite are unique aspects of caregiving that may have varying impact on caregivers. Respite may be especially beneficial for caregivers experiencing conflict between work and caregiving.

Implicit Associations of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury with Relief in Posttraumatic Stress and Depressive Disorders*

Objective Although once considered a defining feature of borderline personality disorder, research has found high rates of NSSI among individuals with other psychiatric disorders, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive disorders. A recent study from our research team found that lifetime PTSD and depressive disorders were associated with unique self-reported NSSI motives. Given well-established limitations of assessing motives via self-report measures, the present study sought to extend this line of research by using a novel laboratory measure of the implicit NSSI-relief association to examine NSSI emotional relief motives. Method A subset of participants from our previous study (N = 109) completed diagnostic interviews and the laboratory-based DSH-Relief Implicit Association Test (IAT). Results Findings indicated that individuals with lifetime PTSD evidenced stronger NSSI-relief associations than those without PTSD. Further, this main effect was qualified by a PTSD by depressive disorder interaction, such that stronger NSSI-relief associations were found among individuals with lifetime PTSD but no lifetime depressive disorder than among individuals without a history of either PTSD or a depressive disorder. Conclusions Results highlight the importance of investigating NSSI motives associated with different symptom profiles using a multi-method approach.

The Effect of the Color Mind Expression Program on the Psychological Mindedness of University Students

In addition to education, the effects of color on humans have been studied in various areas such as human emotions, behaviors, and relationships between bodies. This study is based on the assumption that the color expression of University students can be observed to understand the inner and inclinations of University students, and that color expression activities can be a means of psychological expression, self-expression, and emotional relief. This study is aimed to find how much the color mind expression program effects the psychological mind state of University students. As a result of the study, the color mind expression program influenced the expression of inner feelings and emotions of University students, and had a positive effect on color psychology and utilization. In addition, overall, the color mind expression program was effective in positive and psychological recovery of negative emotions, such as being able to honestly express the difficulties felt in the process of preparing for employment.

Psychotherapists' preferences for television and movies during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study investigated psychotherapists' media use since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 186 psychotherapists completed a 15-item self-report survey on the movies and TV shows they had watched, and the reasons for their choices, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results indicated therapists primarily watched material they described as comedic, distracting, thought-provoking, and psychologically engaging. In addition, they reported choosing media that appealed to their spouses and/or children. It is theorized that therapists' media selections are reinforcing their regulatory flexibility, allowing them to grapple with the harsh reality of the pandemic while simultaneously providing themselves emotional safety and relief in the form of distancing and distraction.

Orts- und zeitflexibles Arbeiten: Alte Geschlechterungleichheiten und neue Muster der Arbeitsteilung durch Digitalisierung

ZusammenfassungDer vorliegende Beitrag verfolgt die Frage, inwiefern sich bei orts- und zeitflexiblem Arbeiten mit digitalen Technologien Vereinbarkeit von Beruf und Familie und Geschlechterungleichheiten in der häuslichen Arbeitsteilung verändern. Grundlage bilden Ergebnisse aus dem Forschungsprojekt „Wandel der Geschlechterverhältnisse durch Digitalisierung“ (Hans-Böckler-Stiftung). Es zeigen sich verschiedene Effekte: So ermöglichen mobiles Arbeiten und Homeoffice es Teilzeitbeschäftigten, ihre vertraglich vereinbarte Arbeitszeit zu erhöhen; flexible digitale Arbeit sorgt für emotionale und zeitliche Entlastungen bei spontanen Notfällen wie Krankheit der Kinder; aber auch der Umfang unsichtbarer und unbezahlter Mehrarbeit steigt. In der Regel kommt es dabei nicht zu einer Neuorganisation oder Umverteilung der unbezahlten Haus- und Sorgearbeiten. Dennoch zeigen sich in Ansätzen Verschiebungen der häuslichen Arbeitsteilung. Der Beitrag stellt die zentralen Ergebnisse des Projekts vor und diskutiert sie hinsichtlich ihrer Implikationen für Geschlechterungleichheiten.Praktische Relevanz: Der Text gibt Aufschluss über aktuelle Erfahrungen mit orts- und zeitflexiblem Arbeiten aus Geschlechterperspektiven. Er liefert Hinweise auf förderliche und hinderliche Bedingungen für einen Abbau der Ungleichheiten in der Zuständigkeit für Beruf und Familie und der Arbeitsteilung in der Familie. Die Ergebnisse können für die Gestaltung betrieblicher Rahmenbedingungen und Regelungen orts- und zeitflexibler Arbeit genutzt werden.

Self-care as an ethical responsibility

Abstract This article presents a pilot research project which examined the effectiveness of remote, formal support, provided by Colleagues Across Borders, for volunteer interpreters in an immigration detention support NGO. We consider the occupational stress and susceptibility to vicarious traumatization and burnout for interpreters working in sensitive (e.g., refugee) contexts. It is argued that it is an ethical responsibility to keep oneself fit and well-prepared to perform interpreting assignments to the highest standards. The project offered an intervention of remote support for non-professional interpreters in a detention center who needed professional advice and emotional relief. Analysis of pre- and post-intervention focus groups and questionnaires indicates an improvement in self-care, resilience, confidence, and effectiveness after three support sessions, suggesting that a remote yet personal support program can mitigate the effects of vicarious trauma and burnout for non-professional and professional interpreters working in ethically challenging refugee contexts.

Vulnerability in health and social capital: a qualitative analysis by levels of marginalization in Mexico

BackgroundSocial capital is employed as an asset when there is a lack of an efficient health-care system. However, this relationship is not homogeneous and can differ according to the characteristics of individuals and their context. In this paper, we aim to analyze the role of social capital in the solution of healthcare problems among individuals with different levels of marginalization and unequal access to health services.MethodsThis qualitative study examines the role of social capital in the demand for healthcare among Mexican individuals with different levels of marginalization. The research draws data from semi-structured interviews (N = 247) that were collected in four Mexican states with different social welfare benefits: Mexico City, Tamaulipas, the State of Mexico, and Oaxaca. The interviewees were selected using the snowball method and other eligibility criteria such as education, age, and gender.ResultsFindings suggest that social capital is a relevant factor in solving healthcare problems, depending on the level of marginalization. The role of social capital can be explained by the precariousness of medical service delivery, the poor health infrastructure, and the difficult access to health care in Mexico. Networks are the main resource to deal with health related issues, food, medicine, and out-of-the-pocket medical expenses in contexts of high levels of marginalization. In the middle level of marginalization, networks also help in raising funds for more-specialized medical services and higher quality hospitals. In the least-marginalized levels, social capital is used as companionship for sick individuals, while support networks act as emotional relief. At this level, most individuals have private health insurance, and many of them have major medical healthcare coverage.ConclusionsParticipants reported low levels of trust in the health care system because of the poor infrastructure and quality of medical service delivery. Although the main criticism is focused on public healthcare institutions, there is a lack of trust in private medical services as well. These facts are related to the access and quality of medical service delivery and turn social capital into a significant asset. Despite that social bonds or links are valuable resources that individuals can use to solve healthcare related issues, the use of social capital is not homogenous. Indeed, it can be influenced by several factors that were represented in this study through the municipal marginalization index.