Qualitative Research Findings Research Articles

Environmental and socio-economic resources at the landscape level – Potentials for sustainable land use in the Georgian Greater Caucasus

Mountain regions cover one quarter of the Earth's terrestrial surface, and are both valuable and vulnerable areas with complex human-environmental interrelationships. In this coupled system, land-use changes induced by political or socio-economic transformations generate consequences for ecological landscape functions like soil productivity and species richness, and integrative land-use concepts provide the potential of a sustainable land development. In the Kazbegi region in the central Greater Caucasus of Georgia, these transformations further lead to landscape-structure change and population marginalization. Hence, we developed three agricultural land-use scenarios that meet Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals to ensure a sustainable rural land development and the conservation of mountain ecosystems. Our normative scenario approach integrates quantitative and qualitative findings of empirical research in landscape ecology, soil science, vegetation ecology as well as agronomics and socio-economics. According to the examined environmental and socio-economic resources, we defined various scenario logics and normative assumptions that combine optimized livestock production (in dairy cow keeping and cattle fattening) with ecological limitations to maintain the functioning of mountain ecosystems. The rule-based scenarios achieved measurably increased outputs in biomass yields, livestock production and related revenues at the regional scale. Further, GIS generated scenario maps demonstrate the related land-use patterns spatially explicit and in high resolution, and visualize the alternative future from local to the regional scale. In conclusion, scenario development helps to determine region-specific and integrated land-use options to provide a sound base for land users and decision makers. Based on research on multiple landscape functions, this approach can assist sustainable land development in a mountain region.

Using an electronic portfolio to support the learning process of lower-secondary school pupils when choosing a career

The paper reports on the concept, implementation and findings of qualitative research focused on an electronic portfolio. The research aimed to explore the use of an electronic portfolio in the learning process of lower-secondary school pupils in the Czech Republic concerning their career choice. The primary research question was defined as whether we can consider an electronic portfolio as an appropriate learning tool to support pupils’ preparation for their career choice. The research sought to (a) analyse the current process of pupils’ preparation for their career choice; (b) evaluate the appropriateness of an electronic portfolio as a supportive learning tool for career choice based on the experience from last years; (c) evaluate the appropriateness of an electronic portfolio for the pupils’ self-reflection and self-evaluation development and (d) suggest optimum learning scenarios, which could be implemented into learning through educational activities. In the first stage of the action research, the pupils described their preferred occupation and specified formal and informal job requirements using cloud technologies. In the second stage, a teacher assessed pupils’ work with the assistance of an external interviewer. In the third stage, pupils prepared a curriculum vitae and cover letter for an imaginary employer using a professional portfolio. An imaginary recruitment process followed. It was organized by an external interviewer using pupils’ job applications.

Path to severe acute malnutrition in children below 2 years of age: Findings of qualitative research in Uttar Pradesh, North India

IntroductionMalnutrition in infancy contributes to high mortality and morbidity. In India, government has established nutrition rehabilitation centres for managing children with severe acute malnutrition. The study was conducted with aim to understand how community perceived malnutrition and how child's size at birth, infant and young child feeding related behaviours and child's illness were associated with decline in the child's growth or health. MethodsQualitative research employing focused ethnographic methodologies was used. From February–December 2016, cases studies and in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 mothers of malnourished children <24 months of age (cases), purposively recruited from nutrition rehabilitation centre of 3 districts in Uttar Pradesh, North India. Twenty-four mothers of gender and age matched well-nourished controls from village of cases were also interviewed. Focus group discussion was done with community health workers from villages of cases. Data were coded and after analysis and data triangulation, emerging concepts were grouped into core themes linked with malnutrition. ResultsGrounded on experience of participants, emerging themes were that importance of exclusive breastfeeding was neither understood nor emphasized, there was no concept of complementary feeding, family food lacked diversity, malnutrition was not recognised as a health hazard, and there was lack of autonomy of females in reproductive and general health issues. ConclusionGiven these paths to malnutrition in infancy, there is an urgent need to create community awareness about malnutrition as a disease as well as about optimal breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices in infancy by using innovative behaviour change communication strategies.

Conclusion: Developing conceptual understandings of transitions and policy implications

AbstractTransition requires a multidimensional, interdisciplinary approach for its re‐conceptualisation to bring to the fore systemic and power related concerns affecting marginalised and vulnerable groups. This concluding article examines the special issue articles through a range of perspectives. These include examining transitions through a hermeneutics of suspicion, as a mask to displace focus away from other issues of system blockages and failures, building on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and Bourdieu’s symbolic violence and cultural capital. A distinctive focus on spatial systems as concentric relational spaces contrasted with fragmented, hierarchical diametric spatial systems is applied to transitions. This goes beyond conventional spatial assumptions of transition as a “bridge”. Temporal assumptions underpinning transitions are explored to challenge one directional approaches, while key issues of marginalised students’ and parents’ voices are highlighted. Intersectionality theory is invoked to examine the interplay between issues of social class, ethnicity, gender in the special issue articles. Building on the special issue articles’ qualitative and quantitative research findings, key policy conclusions for transitions are identified. These include the need to promote relational spaces, increase system capacity, develop flexible nonlinear pathways, address structural segregation issues, and recognise that formal equality principles are insufficient for a culturally responsive approach to transitions. These policy conclusions regarding transitions are relevant for the multiple educational domains explored, ranging from early childhood, primary, postprimary, through to access to university and the labour market. They go beyond typical transition policy responses of induction days, information transfer, staff and interinstitutional communication, and curricular bridging approaches.

Factors affecting the decision to initiate antiretroviral therapy in the era of treatment-as-prevention: synthesis of evidence from qualitative research in high-income settings

ABSTRACTThe emergence of treatment-as-prevention has made early initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) a “universal” policy. This review synthesizes qualitative research findings on barriers and facilitators of ART initiation in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries published since 2010. Ten articles describing seven research studies were included in the review. Findings confirmed ART initiation as a complicated process involving careful deliberation of the personal risks and benefits of treatment within the broader contexts of everyday life for people living with HIV (PLHIV). They also highlight interpersonal dynamics and concern for the public as increasingly important factors in shaping the decision to initiate treatment. The review provides valuable information for understanding treatment behaviour and maximizing treatment options brought forth by new biomedical advances.

Biliteracy: A Systematic Literature Review about Strategies to Teach and Learn Two Languages

This article describes the qualitative research findings with the objective of identifying the strategies implemented in the different educational levels (preschool, primary, high school, and, higher education) in order to develop biliteracy. A systematic literature review was carried out, by means of a search strategy rigorously defined. It aims to describe and evaluate the strategies used. The sample consisted of 122 publications, produced between 2007 and 2017. The results obtained allowed to identify the advances in terms of strategies regarding biliteracy in preschool, primary, high school and university, also it showed that some strategies are used in more than one educational level. Besides, some proposals are mentioned, to modify the institution curriculum. In addition, some advantages and disadvantages are established regarding the implementation of the strategies used to work on biliteracy in the target levels. Based on this, the state of the subject is discussed, and a projection is also generated regarding the needs of the field.

Pre-Strike Ballots and Collective Bargaining: The Impact of Quorum and Ballot Mode Requirements on Access to Lawful Industrial Action

Abstract In 2016, the UK Parliament passed the Trade Union Act 2016 (TU Act 2016), which introduced new quorum and approval requirements for pre-strike ballots. In Australia, mandatory pre-strike ballots, including a quorum requirement, were first introduced in 2006. This article explains the key features of the Australian pre-strike ballot system and reports on quantitative and qualitative empirical research findings on the operation of the ballots process to analyse the majority and quorum requirements, mode of ballot (postal, attendance or electronic) and choice of ballot agent. Quorum is the biggest obstacle to Australian unions authorising strike action under the pre-strike ballot rules, and postal ballots fail to reach quorum at significantly higher rates than do attendance ballots. By introducing quorums and retaining the requirement that all pre-strike ballots must be conducted by post, the TU Act 2016 endorsed the two factors under the Australian regime most likely to impede the authorisation of strike action in a pre-strike ballot.

The household, the street and the labour market: masculinities and homosocial solidarity networks of Afghan migrant boys in a squatter neighbourhood in Istanbul

ABSTRACTThis study focuses on how undocumented Afghan migrant boys construct homosocial solidarity networks in the absence of their families in a squatter neighbourhood in Istanbul, Turkey. Based on the findings of qualitative field research conducted in 2015, this study argues that the homosocial solidarity networks among young Afghan migrant boys are developed in three different spatial contexts: the household, the street and the labour market. These homosocial solidarity networks enable them to survive in a foreign country which is full of challenges. Being a part of those networks provides employment in a competitive labour market, as well as security. In that process, while trying to survive, young Afghan migrant boys engage in gender stretching in the household. At the same time, in spite of their fragility as undocumented young migrants in a foreign land, they develop stern-yet-fragile transnational migrant masculinities challenging local masculinities in the public sphere, at the cost of losing their childhood in an early age.

PROJECT BASED ACTIVITIES IN A CALL CLASSROOM: EFL STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCES

This study investigates students’ perspectives and measured their attitude, confidence, and anxiety when interacting with omputer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) through project-based instructions. Thirty students from a CALL course participated in this study by responding to a questionnaire and writing a reflective note about their experiences in the course. The qualitative research findings indicate that the majority of the students possess a ositive attitude, confidence and anxiety levels towards the use of technology in their course even though the statistical analysis indicated that there were no significant differences of the students’ attitudes, confidence, and anxiety levels before and after taking the CALL course. Considering the findings, the researchers suggest hat the technology-based projects discussed in the present study can become viable learning activities to prepare pre-service EFL teachers to deal with the effort and initiative by the Ministry of Education in some countries to encourage local teachers integrating the best and wisest use of technology into lessons. Pedagogical implications for teaching and learning CALL as well as direction for further research are discussed in the study.

The Implementation of Tarbiyyah Program based on the Hostel Student Development Module (MPMA): A Study at the Religious Secondary Schools (SMKA) in Penang

Tarbiyyah or education is an utmost tool to nurture our youth’s personality nowadays amidst of global threats and challenges in the non-boundary world today. Thus, this research discusses the implementation of tarbiyyah programme in order to develop student’s personality at the hostels of religious secondary schools in Penang based on the Hostel Student Development Module (MPMA) issued by the Ministry of Education Malaysia. The main objective of this study is to examine the implementation of tarbiyyah programme based on the elements of rūhiyyah (spiritual) and 'aqliyyah (intellectual) for student’s personality development in religious secondary schools, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of programme implementation in the aspects of shaping student’s personality. Finally, to propose some improvements as a personality development module in the term of spiritual and intellectual achievement. This research employs qualitative methods whereby data was collected through observations and interviews. In general, the findings of qualitative research showed that the implementation of tarbiyyah programme can improve student self-esteem, especially in the aspects of spiritual and intellectual intelligence. Thus, this study concludes that the implementation of tarbiyyah programme based on the Hostel Student Development Module (MPMA) is very relevant and appropriate to be implemented at educational institutions as a personality development module.

Entrepreneurial Finance Perspective: Highlighting from the Supply Side

The emergence of the entrepreneurial finance theory in developing the financial theory was still relatively new. Up until the early 1990s, the topic of entrepreneurial finance was still rarely discussed, although actually many aspects could be explored more in-depth by academicians. There was no consensus about the definition of entrepreneurial finance. It can be mapped out that past literature studies or previous research just looked at entrepreneurial finance from the financing provider side (supply side). A supply-side test examined the fund provider (financier) perspective as a test center like formal and informal equity (venture, capitalists, angel investors, corporate venturing, crowdfunding), as well as formal and informal debt like bank debt, loans from friends and family members, and the release of other money (mezzanine) to develop start-up companies or micro, small, and medium enterprises. A synthetic meta-analysis in this research integrated and synthesized several qualitative research findings through better descriptions and facilitates the reconceptualization from a study. Based on this study, we found that actually there was still a lot of room from the topic of entrepreneurial finance to become future research, such as from the entrepreneur’s side (demand side) related with financial management or small enterprise development. JEL Classification: B10, B26, B30 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26905/jkdp.v22i3.2096

From Coercion to Physical Force: Aggressive Strategies Used by Women Against Men in \u201cForced-to-Penetrate\u201d Cases in the UK

“Forced-to-penetrate” cases involve a man being forced-to-penetrate, with his penis and without his consent, a woman’s vagina, anus, or mouth. This article presents the first quantitative and qualitative research findings regarding such cases in the UK, exploring aggressive strategies used by women, as reported by 154 men who experienced them. The most frequently used strategies include coercion, taking advantage of men’s intoxication, and the use of force and threats of physical harm. Novel evidence is presented of women combining multiple strategies within the same incident. The article also argues that some of the strategies used by women are particularly “gendered,” with them taking advantage of their roles as women. The findings presented here raise questions for criminal justice professionals working in the area of sexual violence, as well as highlighting the need for future research.

Improving Qualitative Research Findings Presentations

Every year thousands of presentations of qualitative research findings are made at conferences, departmental seminars, meetings, and student defenses. Yet scant scholarship has been devoted to these presentations, their nature and relevance to qualitative research, and how they can be improved. This article addresses this important gap by positioning “research findings” presentations as a distinctive genre, part of qualitative method, and an expression of scholarly discourse. From the theoretical basis of genre theory, a number of common and damaging mistakes are found to be evident in the manner in which qualitative research findings are usually presented. These have negative implications: reducing the methodological quality of, engagement with, and overall influence of the qualitative research presented. We draw on genre theory to make recommendations for future qualitative research findings presentations to improve the rigor, influence, and impact of such presentations.

Scandinavian women's experiences with abortions on request: a systematic review.

The objective of the review was to explore the experiences of Scandinavian women with abortions on request, that is, before, during and after the intervention. In Scandinavia, the primary issues surrounding the abortion debate to date have been women's legal rights to an abortion, and, to a lesser extent, how women experience an abortion on request and how society could and should support them. This systematic review investigated Scandinavian women's experiences in relation to this intervention. The current review included all studies that focused on adult women (aged 15 and over) living in Scandinavia (Denmark, Sweden and Norway) who have experienced an abortion on request (a medically or surgically induced abortion without a medical indication for the mother or child, described here as an "abortion on request"). The phenomena of interest were Scandinavian women's experiences in relation to an abortion on request, that is, before, during and after the intervention, and self-reported psychosocial or psychological health consequences following the abortion. This systematic review focused on Scandinavian hospital or clinical environments where authorized medical personnel performed abortions on request. This review considered studies that focused on qualitative data including, but not limited to, designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research. A three-step search strategy was used to identify published and unpublished studies from 1973 to June 2016. The comprehensive literature search identified nine studies that met the inclusion criteria. These nine studies were assessed by two independent reviewers using the standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Six of these studies were deemed to be of sufficient methodological quality for inclusion in this systematic review. Data were extracted from the six included studies using the standardized data extraction tool from JBI. A total of 24 qualitative research findings were pooled using JBI methodology. A total of six studies met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 80 participants. Twenty-four research findings were extracted and grouped into six categories that were synthesized into three synthesized findings: 1) Experiences in connection with the decision-making process; 2) Experiences in connection with the procedure; and 3) Experiences after abortion. The vast majority of participants were aged 15 to 24 years at the time of the abortion. Conclusions and recommendations for practice apply to Scandinavian women within this age group. This systematic review indicates that young Scandinavians consider it a woman's responsibility to obtain and use contraceptives and that young women seeking an abortion on request have little knowledge of their own bodies with respect to fertility and their menstrual cycles. Young Scandinavian women between the ages of 15 and 24 years seeking an abortion on request experience conflicted feelings. They feel both joy and shame about their pregnancies and, during the decision-making process, are torn between the possibility of motherhood and the reasonable and expected choice of abortion that is supported by their parents and friends. The majority of women experience worse-than-expected pain and discomfort in connection with the abortion procedure. The approach of healthcare staff to women's physical needs is described as good and professional, but there is little or no focus on the women's emotional and existential needs. After abortions on request, young women express ambivalence: relief that the pregnancy has been terminated, coupled with a feeling of loss. Some suffer from guilt and some express regret.

Doing adult education as tertium comparationis: Comparative research in cross-border regions at Germany’s peripheries through the lens of social spatiality

Comparing places represents one of the most traditional threads of comparative inquiry. However, international and comparative (adult) education research has to date focused on comparing places more in the sense of territorial entities. In contrast, this paper moves away from understandings of national or regional territories as given, container-like units, criticised as methodological nationalism. It draws instead on theoretical approaches of social spatiality and, in particular, on Werlen’s works on action-centred geography. Findings of qualitative research on organisations providing adult education in two cross-border regions at Germany’s territorial periphery serve as an empirical framework, analysing the programme planning activities of their managerial staff. The paper argues that it is the pedagogical actions and practices of these professionals, rather than the territorial entities, that become the tertium comparationis, eliciting the professionals’ share in the overall process of (re)producing social space and, ultimately, territory.

Exploring patients' experiences of the whiplash injury-recovery process - a meta-synthesis.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to conduct a meta-synthesis to analyze qualitative research findings and thereby understand patients’ experiences of whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) and the injury-recovery process.Materials and methodsA qualitative meta-synthesis, which is an interpretive integration of existing qualitative findings, was performed. The databases PubMed, PsychINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched. The Critical Assessment Skills Programme was used to assess the quality of the included studies.ResultsFour studies were included. The synthesis resulted in several codes, 6 categories, and 3 themes (distancing from normalcy, self-efficacy in controlling the life situation after the injury, and readjustment and acceptance) that described the participants’ pain beliefs, their WAD-related life situation and their future expectations and acceptance. Changes in self-image were difficult to cope with and likely led to perceived stigmatization. Struggling with feelings of loss of control appeared to lead to low confidence and insecurity. Focusing on increasing knowledge and understanding the pain and its consequences were believed to lead to better strategies for handling the situation. Furthermore, recapturing life roles, including returning to work, was challenging, but an optimistic outlook reinforced symptom improvements and contributed to feelings of happiness.ConclusionThe results of the present study provide a comprehensive understanding of patients’ complex, multifaceted experiences of WAD, and the injury-recovery process. The findings can guide us in the development of new ways to evaluate and manage WAD. The results also indicate that a more patient-centered approach is needed to determine the depth and breadth of each patient’s problems.

Qualitative analysis of rural-to-urban migrant Chinese mothers’ perceived outcomes and experiences in a parent support and education programme with an existential–narrative approach

ABSTRACTThis paper discusses the qualitative findings of practice research on rural-to-urban migrant Chinese mothers’ perceived outcomes and experiences in a parent support and education programme. Informed by an existential–narrative approach to parent education, four intervention groups were provided to 56 migrant mothers recruited from a social service centre in China. Of them, 28 mothers were purposively selected and invited to join four post-intervention focus groups. Themes of their narratives suggest that the programme has helped participants to reconstruct what migrant mothering means to them, reorganise their lived experiences, reflect upon their priorities in life, adjust their parental expectations, deepen their parent–child connectedness by visiting and calling home, express gratitude to their children’s caregivers, reaffirm the role of the children’s fathers in parenting, and facilitate learning from other participants. The findings offer insights into developing parenting programmes for migrant mothers that focus on meaning-making, storytelling and mutual learning.

Relevance and acceptability of using the Quantiferon gold test (QGIT) to screen CD4 blood draws for latent TB infection among PLHIV in South Africa: formative qualitative research findings from the TEKO trial

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of mortality among people living with HIV (PLHIV), despite the availability of effective preventive therapy. The TEKO trial is assessing the impact of using a blood test, Quantiferon-TB Gold In-Tube Test (QGIT), to screen for latent TB compared to the Tuberculin Screening Test (TST) among PLHIV in South Africa.MethodsFifty-six qualitative interviews were conducted with PLHIV and clinical providers participating in the TEKO trial. We explored TB screening, diagnosis, and treatment guidelines and processes and the use of the QGIT to screen for latent TB infection at the time of CD4 blood draw. Thematic content analysis was conducted.ResultsConsiderable variability in TB screening procedures was documented due to lack of personnel and clarity regarding current national TB guidelines for PLHIV. Few clinics had started using the TST per national guidelines and many patients had never heard of isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT). Nearly all participants supported the idea of latent TB screening using routine blood drawn for CD4 counts.ConclusionsFindings indicate that screening for latent TB infection using QGIT from blood drawn for CD4 counts among PLHIV is an acceptable approach to increase latent TB detection given the challenges associated with ensuring systematic latent TB screening in overburdened public clinics.Trial registrationThe results presented here were from formative research related to the TEKO trial (Identifier NCT02119130, registered 10 April 2014).

Buddhist Approach To The Psycho-Social Issues Relating To The Families Of Missing Persons In The Civil War In Sri Lanka (FROM 1983 - 2009)

The title of the Dissertation is “Buddhist Approach to the Psycho-social Issues Relating to the Families of Missing Persons in the Civil War in Sri Lanka (from 1983 _2009)” Researcher attempted weather Buddhist approach could help in minimization or eradication of psychosocial issues of the families of missing persons within the above scope. The loved ones of a missing person due to whatever the reason behind it live in constant severe mental and physical pain with lot of suffering. The complete loss or absence of hope, often waiting for years for good news creates the agony worst. The objective of the research is to find out existing Psycho-Social Issues in a mixture of quantitative & qualitative research, aiming at the recommendations on a global perspective. Research question was finding out what happened to the missing people which has become a top priority in the world while families are living with uncertainty and severe mental agony and objectives of the research were to ascertain the magnitude of the humans suffering due to the loss of their loved one/s. Methodology of the research was framed on the basis of Mix of Qualitative and Quantitative data & information research findings were developed based on the analysis of data and testing of hypothesis. Buddhist approach to the Psycho-social issues were found significantly important in the study. Researcher established the actual gap between the facts and figures based on 18891 total complaints received during the period of the mandate of PCICMP vs the total complaints announced at the discussions of United Nations in Geneva 23586. The importance of expediting the balance complaints and grievances were found. The lessons learnt from the Buddhist approach is well proved in conflict resolution in terms of Justice, Accountability of the Government, the process of Reconciliation, the Compensation, and Establishment of all possible ways & means in order to avoid future occurrences were concluded.

Exploring governance for a One Health collaboration for leptospirosis prevention and control in Fiji: Stakeholder perceptions, evidence, and processes.

Key informants from relevant government agencies and industry organizations were interviewed in late 2014, and the interviews analyzed and triangulated with documentary analysis. The analysis identified 5 themes: perceptions of the impact of leptospirosis, governance processes, models for collaboration, leptospirosis control, and preferred leadership for leptospirosis management. Data were limited, with poor communication between ministries, and limited awareness of leptospirosis outside outbreaks. Collaboration during outbreaks was positive but not sustained in endemic periods. Mechanism for enhanced collaboration was developed for endemic and outbreak situations. The findings informed a One Health governance approach to leptospirosis, framed within a National Strategic Plan, with a specific National Action Plan for Leptospirosis. The process provides a research based One Health template for application to other zoonotic diseases.