Grounded Theory Research Articles

Mental Health and Religiosity in Older Latin American Immigrants Living in Australia

Ageing in a non-native land brings numerous challenges that may complicate adaptation and health for older Latin American immigrants in Australia. While religiosity emerges as a protective factor for mental health, there is scarce research focused on exploring the multifaceted dimensions of religiosity in this population. As part of a broad Constructivist Grounded Theory study, the aim of this qualitative descriptive analysis was to explore and understand this population’s religious practices and experiences, focusing on the impact on their mental health. Following ethical approval, 23 Spanish-speaking Latin American immigrants aged 60 and older living in Australia were interviewed. Data analysis was performed on a constant comparative basis and concurrent with data collection to understand the findings. Three key categories were identified: “Being involved in religious groups and communities,” “Connecting with God,” and “Changing how one lives one’s faith.” Regardless of their religious practices, all participants engaged in social activities that helped them integrate into their communities. Several barriers to religious practices were identified. The findings add to the field of religiosity as a protective factor in older Latin American immigrants’ mental health. Future research should identify barriers to religious practices and targeted interventions.

Head Nurse Leadership: Facilitators and Barriers to Adherence to Infection Prevention and Control Programs-A Qualitative Study Protocol.

The effective management of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) relies on the implementation of good practice across the entire multidisciplinary team. The organizational context and the role of head nurses influence the team's performance and behavior. Understanding how decision-making processes influence healthcare professionals' behavior in the management of HAIs could help identify alternative interventions for reducing the risk of infection in healthcare organizations. This study aims to explore how the behaviors promoted and actions implemented by the head nurse can influence healthcare professionals' adherence to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) programs. A multi-center qualitative study will be conducted using a Grounded Theory approach. Observations will be conducted, followed by individual interviews and/or focus groups. A constructive and representative sample of healthcare professionals who care directly for patients will be enrolled in the study. The COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research (COREQ) checklist will be followed to ensure the quality of this study protocol. A multistep inductive process will be used to analyze the data. The study results will provide an understanding of how nurses perceive the influence of leadership and how they modify their behaviors and activities toward patients according to IPC programs. The study will identify barriers and facilitators to IPC compliance and suggest strategies to minimize negative patient outcomes, such as the development of an HAI.

Influence of a rural Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship on medical graduates’ geographic and specialty decisions: a constructivist grounded theory study

BackgroundLike many countries, Australia is suffering from a longstanding and persistent medical workforce maldistribution with fewer doctors per capita in rural locations and a trend towards sub-specialisation. Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships (LIC), a medical education model, are more likely than other clerkship models to produce graduates who work rurally, in communities of increasing remoteness and in primary care. While this quantitative data is essential, there has been a dearth of program-specific evidence explaining this phenomenon.MethodsTo address this knowledge gap, a constructivist qualitative grounded theory approach was employed to identify how the Deakin University comprehensive rural LIC influences graduates’ (2011–2020) career decisions in terms of both medical specialty and geographic practice location.ResultsThirty-nine graduates participated in qualitative interviews. The Rural LIC Career Decision Making Framework was developed, postulating that an alignment of personal and program factors under the central concept of ‘choosing to participate’ can influence graduates’ geographic and specialist career decisions, both individually and symbiotically. Once embedded in the clerkship, participation was augmented by the concepts of learning design affordance and learning in place, providing the participants with longitudinal opportunities to experience and compare medical disciplines in an integrated manner.ConclusionsThe developed framework presents contextual elements of the program that were deemed influential on graduates’ subsequent career decisions. The alignment of these elements with the program’s mission statement has the capacity to enhance the program’s rural workforce goals. Regardless of graduates’ willingness to participate in the program, a transformation occurred. Transformation occurs through reflection, either challenging or confirming the graduate’s pre-conceived ideas about career decisions and in turn influencing professional identity formation.

Autistic People's Perspectives on Parental Diagnosis Disclosure: A Grounded Theory Study.

Being diagnosed with autism has multiple implications for a person's life and self-identity. Although learning about autism at a younger age is correlated with quality of life, only a few studies have addressed parental disclosure thereof. This study conceptualizes autistic adults' perspectives on parental disclosure. The methods combine grounded theory with the emancipatory research paradigm, drawing on autistic people's personal knowledge. Eighty-five autistic adults participated in six focus groups (51 male, 33 female, 3 non-binary; Mage = 25); and 41 autistic adults were interviewed (22 male, 17 female, 2 non-binary; Mage = 28). Both focus groups and individual interviews addressed the way participants learned about their diagnosis from their parents, and their recommendations to other parents on how to disclose. Based on these findings, we developed autistic-driven recommendations for parental disclosure process. The participants viewed the diagnosis as validating their experienced otherness, helping them overcome shame, and promoting their self-understanding and self-advocacy skills. They recommended disclosure as soon as possible after diagnosis and stressed the importance of gradual disclosure according to the child's abilities. Furthermore, they suggested focusing on how autism manifested in the child's own life, rather than "autism" in general. Finally, they recommended presenting autism as a neutral or positive quality, highlighting its strengths and networking the child with other autistic individuals. In conclusion, this study reveals that parental disclosure is an ongoing and spiral process. The proposed model contributes significantly to post-diagnostic support for parents, providing a framework for effective communication about autism with their children.

Research on Cost Control of Railway Engineering Based on Grounded Theory

An analysis of cost management within railway construction projects has been conducted using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and a regression analysis to evaluate and rank key financial and operational factors affecting project costs. This research assesses the impact of various metrics, such as Safety Inspections, Emergency Preparedness, and Equipment Maintenance, along with financial indicators such as Actual Cost and Variance, on cost control strategies by building a hierarchical model and implementing AHP. The results indicate a clear preference for Financial Metrics, with a priority vector of 0.667, over Operational Metrics, which have a priority vector of 0.334. Among the Financial Metrics, Actual Cost, with a priority vector of 0.565, is identified as the most influential, underscoring the importance of direct cost management. Among the Operational Metrics, Emergency Preparedness is the most important, with a priority vector of 0.540, emphasizing the importance of effective risk management. A regression analysis confirms these priorities, with significant correlations presented between these metrics and variances in costs. According to this study, changes in Emergency Preparedness and Equipment Maintenance can predict cost fluctuations, aligning with the findings of the AHP study. The AHP evaluations are demonstrated to be reliable, with consistency ratios significantly below the 0.1 benchmark (0.043 for Financial Metrics and 0.008 for Operational Metrics), indicating a high degree of consistency in judgment. The statistical validation enhances the framework’s effectiveness in steering strategic decisions regarding cost management. This paper discusses the implications of these results to reduce financial risks and improve project outcomes.

Partners in Love/War: An Explorative Study of Ukrainian Soldiers’ Lived Experiences of Being in a Romantic Relationship in the Russo-Ukrainian War

This article explores the lived experiences of Ukrainian soldiers in a romantic relationship with another soldier in the same unit in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Contributing to scholarship on military couples, embodied experiences of war, human dimensions of warfare, and soldierly love, the study aims to understand how these soldiers are affected emotionally and as soldiers by having a relationship on the frontline. Drawing upon the Grounded Theory method, based on eight semi-structured interviews with soldiers from four couples, the findings visualize these experiences through four theoretical constructs. Having a relationship while serving on the frontline endowed these soldiers in Ukraine with an existential purpose that was protective and motivating, making them cautious and feel less dehumanized but also stressed from fear of loss. The findings have implications for how armed forces understand soldiers’ emotional needs and relations at war.

Assessing the Mental Model State of Emergency Responders in the Context of Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) Incidents: A Multi-state Study.

Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Technicians' notions of mental model, or cognitive representations of their understanding and beliefs regarding Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDDs) incidents, have not been previously explored. A prior study developed an Expected Mental Model State (EMMS) framework specific to RDD incident response for HAZMAT technicians. The work herein presents the development of a derivative of this framework, the EMMS Diagnostic Matrix, to evaluate the actual Mental Model State (MMS) of HAZMAT technicians in the context of RDD incidents. The EMMS Diagnostic Matrix was administered via a survey and simulation activity in four U.S. states representing the Northeast, West, South, and Midwest regions. Data were collected and coded using grounded theory methodology. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to identify themes across related areas where the notions of mental model for the HAZMAT technician responders' actual MMS differed from the EMMS. The analysis of the collected data revealed four significant themes representing incomplete notions of the mental model spanning various EMMS conceptual domains: Overestimation of Radiation Dose and Health Effects, indicating misunderstandings about the health impacts of radiation exposure, Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS), particularly in the lower range of radiation doses; Overreliance on Responder Protection [personal protective equipment (PPE)/self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)], highlighting gaps in understanding radiation principles and radioactive material dispersal properties from a radiological dispersal device; Misunderstanding Radiation Detection and Units, signifying confusion about radiation units and differentiation between dose rate and accumulated dose; and Incomplete Understanding of Radiation Characteristics and Dispersal Properties, outlining a limited grasp of inhalation risks from radiation and the dispersal traits of a radiological dispersal device. The interconnectedness of these technical misunderstandings can guide the development of a strategic plan to evaluate and modify existing training, aiming at these specific themes to improve the efficiency of HAZMAT technicians in emergency situations and to identify areas for further research.

A Grounded Theory of Walking for Health Promotion in Older Urban Adults.

Walking enhances the health, quality of life, and independence of older adults. However, a global decline in urban walking necessitates a re-evaluation of segmented, quantitative approaches to policies and theoretical frameworks in geriatric medicine for promoting walking among older adults. This study conceptualized the perceptions, experiences, and behaviors regarding walking, from a health promotion perspective, among older urban adults. Pedestrian-friendly communities were explored for older adults in Seoul, South Korea, using a grounded theory. Thirty-eight older adults actively engaged in walking were recruited between July and December 2020. A qualitative multimethod approach was used, and the collected data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding, with axial coding integrating textual and spatiobehavioral information. The open-coding process yielded 92 concepts, 47 subcategories, and 19 categories. Using axial and selective coding principles, a conceptual framework was developed to explain how walking shaped the daily lives of older urban adults and provided multidimensional health benefits. Walking perception attributes were characterized by "embodied subjectivity as a healthy older adult," "autonomy of movement," and "walking as a way to enrich or sustain life." Active walking facilitated interactions between older adults and their neighborhood environment within the context of compact and accessible urban living. A healthy and age-friendly community encourages interactions between older adults and their neighborhood environment by providing opportunities for daily walking for several purposes, such as providing a sense of autonomy, increasing health-promoting behaviors, and creating a sense of community.

“Just Got Diagnosed; What Worked for You?”: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Treatment Experiences in the Prolactinoma Subreddit

Abstract Introduction With improvement in complication and remission rates, recent studies have suggested the viability of transsphenoidal surgery as first-line management for prolactinomas. Reddit, an online forum, allows posters to interact with one another, and discuss symptoms, treatments, and disease courses through specialized forums known as “subreddits.” Given the lack of research comparing patient experience on pharmacotherapy versus surgery, we sought to assess the sentiment of treatment within the “r/Prolactinoma subreddit” community. Methods A search was done by filtering the r/Prolactinoma subreddit. Posts were sorted by “top” of “all time,” meaning entries with the most engagement throughout the site's history. Welch's t-test was used to analyze treatment type, while sentiment regarding treatment was analyzed using grounded theory qualitative methods. Results From 189 total entries, 82 were included; 33% (n = 27/82) were posts. Of posters disclosing their treatment, 11% underwent surgery (n = 9/79), while 76% received medication (n = 60/79). The proportion of positive:negative sentiment and level of engagement on posts regarding pharmacotherapy versus surgical treatments were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Qualitative analysis showed themes of changes after medical treatment, immediate changes postsurgery, and online community. Conclusion Our mixed-methods study found statistically nonsignificant differences in sentiment when comparing Reddit posts from patients who underwent medical and surgical management. Qualitative analysis revealed several themes regarding patients' perceptions of medical and surgical management and the benefits of an online community. The qualitative themes brought to light by this study may serve to inform future studies examining the patient experience with prolactinoma care.

Travel photography is important to me! The impact of merchants' photo editing behavior on destination clothes rental intention

The rise of travel selfies has fueled the development of destination clothes rental programs, yet there is scant research on this phenomenon. Therefore, this study, grounded in social comparison theory, constructs a model of the complex influence mechanism of merchants' photo editing behavior on tourist clothes rental intention. By employing a mixed-method approach that includes grounded theory and scenario experiments, this study verifies the proposed mechanism. The findings are as follows: first, finely editing photos, as opposed to roughly editing ones, are more likely to inspire tourist clothes rental intention. Second, the differential impact of photo editing behavior on tourist clothes rental intention is less pronounced in arriving at tourism destinations than in social media contexts. Third, cultural factors and individual differences, such as collectivism, face consciousness, and social comparison orientation, moderate the main effects. Fourth, considering tourists' comparative mindset, finely editing photos, compared to roughly editing ones, are more likely to stimulate state appearance comparison, leading to varying degrees of mutability, and ultimately affecting clothes rental intentions. This study contributes to the understanding of how photo editing influences tourist project participation behavior, providing valuable insights for marketers in the destination clothing rental industry.

Decentralisation of the Health System Derailed by Organisational Inertia in Machinga, Malawi.

Managing the transition of a health system (HS) from a centralised to a decentralised model has been touted as a panacea to the complex challenges in developing countries like Malawi. However, recent studies have demonstrated that decentralisation of the HS has had mixed effects in service provision with more dominant negative outcomes than positive results. The aim of this study was to develop a substantive grounded theory (GT) that elaborates on how activities of central decision-makers and local healthcare mangers shape the process of shifting the HS to a decentralised model in Machinga, Malawi. The study was qualitative in nature and employed the Straussian version of GT. Some participants were interviewed twice, and a total of 36 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 purposively selected participants using an interview guide. The interviews were conducted at the headquarters of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and other ministries and agencies, and in Machinga District. Data were analysed using open, axial, and selective coding processes of the GT methodology; and the conditional matrix and paradigm model were used as data analysis tools. The findings of this study revealed seven different activities, forming two opposing and interactional sub-processes of enabling and impeding patterns that derailed the decentralisation drive. The study generated a GT labelled "decentralisation of the HS derailed by organisational inertia," which elaborates that decentralisation of the HS produced mixed results with more predominant negative outcomes than positive effects due to resistance at the upper organisational echelons and members of the District Health Management Team (DHMT). This article concludes that organisational inertia at the personal and strategic levels of leadership entrusted with decentralising the HS in Malawi, contributed immensely to the derailment of shifting the HS from the centralised to the decentralised model of health service provision.

IN SEARCH OF INNOVATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR: INTERINSTITUTIONAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT

Objective: To analyze the relationship between control bodies and management bodies and verify possible tension between them, and what are the causes and consequences for innovation in the public sector. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework provides relevant information about the supervision of the Audit Courts in Brazil and its influence on decision-making, risk aversion and the impact of this aversion on innovations in the Brazilian Public Sector. Method: The analysis of this research was based on the methodology of Grounded Theory and on carrying out interviews with directors of two municipalities located in the State of Rio de Janeiro and supervisory employees of two Audit Courts and two Internal Affairs Offices located in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro. Results and Discussion: The existence of tension between control bodies and management bodies contributes to an environment of insecurity and fear in decision-making in public management. The possible causes of this tension are due to factors originating from both sides and from the public sector inspection relationship itself. Research Implications: By specifically examining the causes that lead to this tension, this research fills a crucial gap in the literature, offering insights into the challenges and improvements to having a fertile environment for innovation in the public sector Originality/Value: By understanding the causes that lead to an aversion to risk in relation to innovation, agencies can create mechanisms that create an environment of dialogue and cooperation for innovation in the public sector.

Structural barriers to maternity care in Cameroon: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe maternal mortality and perinatal mortality rate in Cameroon are among the highest worldwide. To improve these outcomes, we conducted a formative qualitative assessment to inform the adaptation of a mobile provider-to-provider intervention in Cameroon. We explored the complex interplay of structural barriers on maternity care in this low-resourced nation. The study aimed to identify structural barriers to maternal care during the early adaptation of the mobile Medical Information Service via Telephone (mMIST) program in Cameroon.MethodsWe conducted in-depth interviews and focus groups with 56 key stakeholders including previously and currently pregnant women, primary healthcare providers, administrators, and representatives of the Ministry of Health, recruited by purposive sampling. Thematic coding and analysis via modified grounded theory approach were conducted using NVivo12 software.ResultsThree main structural barriers emerged: (1) civil unrest (conflict between Ambazonian militant groups and the Cameroonian government in the Northwest), (2) limitations of the healthcare system, (3) inadequate physical infrastructure. Civil unrest impacted personal security, transportation safety, and disrupted medical transport system. Limitations of healthcare system involved critical shortages of skilled personnel and medical equipment, low commitment to evidence-based care, poor reputation, ineffective health system communication, incentives affecting care, and inadequate data collection. Inadequate physical infrastructure included frequent power outages and geographic distribution of healthcare facilities leading to logistical challenges.ConclusionDynamic inter-relations among structural level factors create barriers to maternity care in Cameroon. Implementation of policies and intervention programs addressing structural barriers are necessary to facilitate timely access and utilization of high-quality maternity care.

Geospatial analysis of contagious infection growth and cross-boundary transmission in non-vaccinated districts of North-East Indian states during the COVID-19 pandemic

During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of India implemented a nationwide lockdown, sealing borders across states and districts. The northeastern region of India, surrounded by three international borders and connected to mainland India by a narrow passage, faced particular isolation. This isolation resulted in these states forming a relatively closed population. Consequently, the availability of population-based data from Indian Council of Medical Research, tracked through national identification cards, offered a distinctive opportunity to understand the spread of the virus among non-vaccinated and non-exposed populations. This research leverages this dataset to comprehend the repercussions within isolated populations. The inter-district variability was visualized using geospatial analysis. The patterns do not follow any established grounded theories on disease spread. Out of 7.1 million total data weekly 0.35 million COVID-19-positive northeast data was taken from April 2020 to February 2021 including "date, test result, population density, area, latitude, longitude, district, and state" to identify the spread pattern using a modified reaction-diffusion model (MRD-Model) and Geographic Information System. The analysis of the closed population group revealed an initial uneven yet rapidly expanding geographical spread characterized by a high diffusion rate α approximately 0.4503 and a lower reaction rate β approximately 0.0256, which indicated a slower growth trajectory of case numbers rather than exponential escalation. In the latter stages, COVID-19 incidence reached zero in numerous districts, while in others, the reported cases did not exceed100. The MRD-Model effectively captured the disease transmission dynamics in the abovementioned setting. This enhanced understanding of COVID-19 spread in remote, isolated regions provided by the MRD modelling framework can guide targeted public health strategies for similar isolated areas. This study is Funded by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

A Paradigm Model of School Counseling Services based on Grounded Theory

Aim: The purpose of this research is to provide a model of school counseling services based on the conditions and implications of the grounded theory to help school counselors use appropriate services for the integrated development of students. Methods: The research method was a qualitative research that was conducted using the grounded theory approach. Semi-structured interviews and the translation of authentic school counseling documents were used in this study to collect data. Eight professional school counselors with doctoral degrees in counseling, who worked in schools as a school counselor for more than 10 years, and many of whom teach at universities, participated in this study.Results: The findings of this research are based on the field of grounded theory, including concepts of the factors and consequences of school counseling services. These concepts include: developmental needs of students, professional competence of school counselors, necessity of family awareness, cultural context, family lifestyle, education policy, entrance exam phenomenon, psychiatrists and drug prescription, therapeutic attitude instead of preventive attitude, non-governmental institutions and schools, student standards, and counselor standards. Conclusions: The findings of the research showed that the provision of school counseling services should be based on the developmental needs of students, the cultural context and lifestyle of families should be considered, school counselors should have the necessary standards to provide services, and finally, direct and indirect counseling services. The school should be provided in a specialized manner and in a regular framework to facilitate the integrated growth of students.

"This whole journey was sacred": Latter-day Saint parents' process in coming to accept a transgender child.

This constructivist grounded theory (CGT) study examines Latter-day Saint (LDS) parents' process in coming to accept a transgender or gender diverse (TGD) child and the factors that impact acceptance. Data come from interviews with 38 LDS parents of TGD children and 130 Facebook posts from the same population. Data were analyzed using CGT methodology in coding and theory construction. A model of LDS parents' process in accepting a TGD child and the factors that impact that process are presented. The results indicate that coming to accept a TGD child tends to engage LDS parents cognitively, emotionally, socially, and spiritually, and is a developmental process. We identified four stages of parents' process: assimilation of new information, deconstruction and disequilibrium, reconstruction and accommodation, and acceptance; as well as typical emotional responses in each stage. We found that factors thatimpacted parents' process included parents' pre-process characteristics and contexts, religiously defined meaning making, social embeddedness, external resources, community building, and spiritual autonomy. Additionally, we found that parents' commitment to their child's wellbeing and connection with their child (i.e., attachment) motivates their process and that their personal spiritual experiences tend to guide it. Parents in the study who reached a state of acceptance expressed that their process had been both deeply challenging and profoundly, personally meaningful. This study strengthens the case for using attachment-based therapies with this population and indicates the value of incorporating spirituality into the therapeutic work.

The Driving Factors of Food Waste in Chinese Urban Households: A Qualitative Study Based on Grounded Theory

Food waste has become an increasingly common and serious global problem, affecting the guarantee of food security in China and the sustainable development of the national agricultural and food system. Urban households are the main source of food waste on the consumer side. Given China’s unique culture, economy, and social environment, the drivers of food waste in urban households need to consider broader social, psychological, and situational factors in order to provide a basis for formulating and implementing targeted policy measures. This article conducts a grounded theoretical analysis of semi-structured interview data from 56 urban households in China and constructs a driving factor model for food waste in urban households in the Chinese context. Research has found that the influencing factor system of food waste in Chinese urban households includes seven interrelated main categories. Among them, risk perception has a direct effect on responsibility awareness and behavioral tendencies, responsibility awareness and environmental pressure have a direct effect on behavioral tendencies, behavioral tendencies have a direct effect on behavioral choices, perception barriers play a moderating role in the impact of risk perception on responsibility awareness and behavioral tendencies, and behavioral constraints play a moderating role in the impact of behavioral tendencies on behavioral choices. This study enriches the research on the mechanism of food waste behavior in Chinese households, providing scientific basis for the formulation of intervention strategies for food waste in Chinese households, and also providing reference for revealing the mechanism of food waste behavior in other countries with similar cultural backgrounds.

Schrödinger's Cat-Parallel experiences: exploring the underlying mechanisms of undergraduates' engagement and perception in online learning.

The emergence of e-learning had an intense, immediate, and disruptive transformation in the education system. While education aims to seek more interactions and learning engagement between teachers and students, it turns out that it takes lots of work to achieve the goal in the online classroom. This study aims to explore the underlying mechanisms and implications that emerge from the influence of the new features of online learning, drawing on students' real-life experiences, to construct a comprehensive theoretical model. From July 2023 to October 2023, 56 undergraduates, including 18 male and 38 female, participated in the data collection process either face-to-face or online. The study constructs a substantive theoretical model by employing the approaches of The Grounded Theory, three level-coding constant comparative method, theoretical sampling, core category distillation and storyline collation. (1) The elements involved in the process of online learning exhibit underlying logical correlations, driven by profound underlying factors, ultimately resulting in a parallel experience akin to Schrödinger's Cat. (2) Online features lead to students' motivation mainly depending on whether they are self-regulated. (3) Teacher-student interactions and self-regulation shape different learning contexts and types by being moderated by internal and external effects. Students had a parallel experience similar to that of Schrödinger's Cat: they were constantly dissatisfied with "rational" learning and "perceptually" satisfied with online learning. The variation in the satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs necessities college students in online learning leads to parallel experiences.

Successful School Principals in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Schools: A Grounded Theory Research from Turkish Context

The purpose of this study was to delve into the characteristics, professional competencies, leadership attitudes, and behaviors of successful school principals (SSPs) in socioeconomically disadvantaged schools. Utilizing a systematic grounded theory method (SGTM), we conducted research in the provinces of Amasya, Çorum, Samsun, and Tokat in Türkiye. Purposeful and theoretical sampling methods were employed to recruit successful school principals, deputy principals, teachers, students, and parents from secondary schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education (MoNE). The data draws on unstructured individual and focus group interviews, as well as documents and observations. All the data obtained were inductively analyzed through open, axis, and selective coding stages. Based on the codes, sub-categories, categories, themes, and dimensions from the analyses, we designed the Contextual Successful School Principalship Model (CSSPM), which falls into four dimensions as follows: individual, managerial, organizational, and instructional. SSPs in this study mostly tend to display paternalistic leadership attitudes and behaviors in terms of dedication and self-sacrifice, serving, intrinsic motivation, and influencing stakeholders. They exhibit almost all the attitudes and behaviors of servant leadership, act according to some national and moral values, and experience national attitudes such as patriotism and nationalism intensely. By giving importance to the academic socialization of students' mothers, successful school principals exhibit transformational and instructional leadership behaviors. They act strategically to directly involve mothers in enhancing student achievement, demonstrating their commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive educational environment.

Being different: what it means to be a person with albinism in Nigeria

Persons with albinism experience visual impairments and have unusually white hair and skin colour. In Nigeria, they face social disadvantages due to misconceptions about albinism, which create barriers to equal participation in education, employment, and society. This study explored the life stories of persons with albinism in Nigeria to understand the meanings they ascribe to their experiences. Using a Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology, forty-two interviews were conducted with eleven persons with albinism. ‘Being Different’ emerged as the main theme representing the life experiences of persons with albinism in Nigeria from childhood to adulthood. Participants expressed ‘Being Different’ through subthemes such as ‘being in a tug of war’, ‘disadvantaging schooling system’, and ‘suffering double tragedy’. The study concludes that strongly enforcing anti-discrimination laws, promoting inclusive education, and regularly educating the public about albinism can significantly reduce the negative effects of ‘Being Different’ in Nigeria.