Hurtful Comments Research Articles

Quality of life and support needs in children, adolescents, and young adults with facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, a mixed-method study

Background and objectivesQuality of life (QoL) in children with facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) seems plausible decreased. Little is known about factors influencing QoL in children with FSHD. Our objective is to explore factors contributing to the QoL of children, adolescents, and young adults with FSHD, to describe how they experience life with FSHD, and to report their support needs. MethodsWe performed a mixed-method study with individual age-appropriate semi-structured interviews assessing QoL in children, adolescents, and young adults with FSHD and their parents. To characterize the sample, quantitative data on QoL, pain, fatigue, and participation were collected. Interview data was analyzed using a thematic analysis. ResultsFourteen patients participated (age between 9 and 26 years old, eight males and six females). The degree of FSHD severity, as indicated by the FSHD-score, did not correlate with QoL. Older children had a lower QoL than younger children. Children and adolescents strived for normality regardless of physical discomfort. Phenotypical features of FSHD led to insecurity aggravated by hurtful comments of others. The unpredictability of disease progression and its implications for career and parenthood choices led to a generalized feeling of uncertainty about the future. Support was found within family and friends. Participants expressed a need for peer support and psychological support as well as recommending it to others. DiscussionQuality of life in childhood FSHD is diminished caused by their physical limitations, altered appearance, fear of social rejection, and uncertainty of the disease progression in the future. A fear of social rejection most likely contributes to striving for normality regardless of physical discomfort. Support should be focused on acceptance and coping with hurtful comments. It should preferably be individualized, easily accessible and not offered as therapy but rather as tutoring for children.

Instructional Practices and Interpretations of Harm: A Qualitative Inquiry with 24 Competitive Dancers

ABSTRACT Recently, cases of harm have surfaced in competitive dance. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences of harm in competitive dance, specifically focusing on interactions between dancers and instructors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 competitive dancers of various gender and racial identities. Data were analyzed using reflective thematic analysis. Four themes were generated: hurtful comments, physical expressions of frustration, physical conditioning directives, and favoritism. Findings are interpreted to suggest the existence of harm in competitive dance and a need for more critical reflection on teaching practices within the competitive dance environment. Based on this research, recommendations are posed for preventing harm through the application of student-centered pedagogies.

Cyberbullying and cyber-victimisation among higher secondary school adolescents in an urban city of Nepal: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence and factors associated with cyberbullying and cyber-victimisation among high school adolescents of Pokhara Metropolitan City, Nepal.DesignA cross-sectional study.SettingPokhara Metropolitan City, Nepal.ParticipantsWe used convenient sampling to enrol...

Prevalence of cyberbullying victimisation and its association with family dysfunction, health behaviour and psychological distress among young adults in urban Selangor, Malaysia: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundCyberbullying is a growing public health concern with clear, negative impacts on the mental, physical and social health of targeted victims. Previous research on cyberbullying has largely focused on examining...

Sexual orientation for the LGBTQ+ community: Information sources and barriers

This study aims to identify the information barriers that the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, other) community encounters when seeking information about sexual orientation. For this study, a qualitative methodology was followed based on a questionnaire that was answered by various groups within the community. The findings reveal that the respondents preferred the Internet when searching for information due to the abundance of resources, easy accessibility and anonymity. However, they found it insufficient to determine their sexuality due to the presence of inaccurate information and hurtful comments from other users. Additionally, only a few of the respondents were aware of the existence of specialized LGBTQ+ libraries. They believed that the lack of financial resources results in these libraries selecting some resources over others. Therefore, libraries can play a key role in serving the LGBTQ+ community by curating collections in relation to their sexual orientation. This could overcome barriers by providing reliable information for the LGBTQ+ community.

Prevalence and Predictors of Cyberbullying in Middle and High School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Schools were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the learning process has changed dramatically. Students spent countless hours online for learning and leisure activities and risked themselves by engaging in cyberbullying. This study aims are twofold: (1) to investigate the prevalence of cyberbullying perpetration and victimization during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) to investigate predictors of cyberbullying perpetration and victimization. A cross-sectional survey method was used in this study. This study used three questionnaires named Cyberbullying Perpetration and Victimization, Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire Short Form (PIUQ-SF-6), and Cyberbullying Attitudes Measure. Participants are middle and high school students (N = 3,752; 52.4% were girls, 81.6% were middle school students). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate linear regression. Results showed that more students engaged in cyberbullying victimization than perpetration. Boys were more likely to engage in cyberbullying perpetration. Girls were more likely to engage in cyberbullying victimization. The most prevalent cyberbullying perpetration and victimization were posted mean or hurtful comments online. PIU, particularly more time spent online, harms both perpetrators and victims, as many as 3.4% for perpetrators and 4.5% for victims. Having fun teasing others online and feeling good attacking others online made the highest contributions to engaging in cyberbullying perpetration, as many as 10.9% and 10.1%, respectively. Do not accept harming others online and do not feel-good attacking others online, protecting the individuals from being cyberbullied as many as 4.2%. The attitude that school rules will be ineffective at stopping cyberbullying made the highest contribution to being cyberbullied, as many as 4.2%.

Administrators’ Conflict Management and Strategies

This study seeks to identify key elements to workplace conflict. A descriptive phenomenological design, a qualitative method used by the researchers to gain a deeper knowledge of the phenomenon, was used. The experiences of the informants led to the development of five themes. The themes supported the necessity of conflict management, emphasizing its significance particularly in the relationship between administrators and those they supervise. Additionally, their individual families might find it significant. Lessons on how to prevent disputes in every circumstance or job may be learned from the many themes. Hurtful comments, misunderstandings, failing to handle obligations, and failing to delegate jobs were the causes of the conflicts. But these disputes were successfully resolved owing to effective communication and the mediation of friends and coworkers. Conflict can be supported and influenced by effective conflict management. The third theme is "Well-managed conflicts are opportunities for cooperation." The fourth theme is that handling conflict helps people develop as people. Theme No. 5: Conflict situations should be handled completely.

American Girl Dolls as Professionals

American Girl Dolls as Professionals

Review of “The Souls of White Jokes: How Racist Humor Fuels White Supremacy”

The phrase “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is a common adage in the United States that suggests that people should not be affected by verbal insults or criticism. It is typically used to respond to bullying or name-calling to deflect the insult and show that the words have not caused lasting harm. The phrase is often taught to children to encourage them to ignore hurtful comments and to develop resilience in the face of adversity. However, we must ask ourselves, if a word, phrase, or joke makes you laugh out loud or puts a smirk on your face, can it still have real consequences for those it targets as the punchline? In The Souls of White Jokes, Raúl Pérez provides a compelling explanation of how White racist jokes represent a real-time measurement where Americans can see or hear the continued subjugation and disenfranchisement of Non-Whites in the United States. More specifically, White racist jokes that focus on the stark and unfounded differences between the “races” and ethnicities within America only maintain the White supremacist status quo. Based on a thorough theory discussion and using three case studies, Pérez succinctly explains that while racist jokes may seem innocuous and, at worst, a micro-aggression, there is more to it than just jestful banter. Pérez provides new explanations and evidence demonstrating how White racist jokes do much more. Whether in the past or present, these jokes create and reaffirm existing group identities and social positions, reinforce stereotypes and discriminatory practices, and allow institutions (i.e., media) to control the discourse of racial superiority and inferiority.

Persistent racial discrimination among vascular surgery trainees threatens wellness.

Racial/ethnic discrimination is one form of mistreatment and a known risk factor for physician burnout. In the present study, we aimed to characterize the forms and identify the sources of racial/ethnic discrimination among vascular surgery trainees. We performed a cross-sectional study of U.S. vascular surgery trainees who had voluntarily participated in an anonymous survey administered after the 2021 Vascular Surgery In-Training Examination. The primary outcome measures were self-reported mistreatment and sources of mistreatment between race and ethnicity groups. We used χ2 tests and logistic regression for bivariate and multivariable analyses, respectively. Representing all 123 vascular surgery training programs, 510 trainees (66.9% men) participated in the survey (83.6% response rate). Most of the trainees had self-identified as White (53.1%), followed by Asian (24.4%), Hispanic/Latinx (7.6%), Black (4.2%), and other/prefer not to say (10.8%). No significant differences were found in the self-reported duty hour violations among the groups. Black (56.3%) and Asian (36.3%) trainees reported higher rates of racial/ethnic discrimination compared with the White, Hispanic/Latinx, and other/prefer not to say groups (P< .001). Patients and their families were reported as the most common source (74.7%). Other reported sources of discrimination included nurses or staff (60%), attendings (37.4%), co-residents (31.3%), and administration (16.9%). Regarding specific forms of racial discrimination, Black and Asian trainees reported the highest rates of different standards of evaluation (20% and 5.9%, respectively), being mistaken for a nonphysician (50.0% and 5.9%, respectively), slurs and/or hurtful comments (13.3% and 5.9%, respectively), social isolation (13.0% and 1.0%, respectively), and being mistaken for another trainee of the same race/ethnicity (60.0% and 33.7%, respectively). Only 62.5% of Black trainees reported their program/institution would take their mistreatment report seriously compared with the White (88.9%), Hispanic/Latinx (88.2%), Asian (83.2%), and other/prefer not to say (71.4%) trainees (P= .01). On multivariable analysis, female gender (odds ratio [OR], 2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44-4.33), Asian race (OR, 6.9; 95% CI, 3.53-13.3), Black race (OR, 13.6; 95% CI, 4.25-43.4), and training in the Southeastern United States (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.17-12.80) were risk factors for racial/ethnic discrimination. The results from the survey revealed that racial/ethnic discrimination persists in surgical training programs, with Asian and Black trainees reporting higher rates than other racial and ethnic groups. Overall, patients and family members were the most common source of racial/ethnic discrimination. However, faculty, staff, and co-trainees also contributed to racial/ethnic discrimination. Further interventions that optimize diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and policies to address all forms of racial/ethnic discrimination with faculty, staff, and patients within the hospital are critically needed.

Automated Cyberbullying Activity Detection using Machine Learning Algorithm

Cyberbullying is the use of technology to harass, intimidate, or harm another person by making hurtful comments, sending threatening messages to humiliate someone in social media. It is important to recognize the signs of cyberbullying activities and takes steps to prevent it. Automated Machine Learning algorithms and Text mining concepts for detecting and classifying bullying messages in social media environment. The abusive texts are clustered using Multinomial Naïve Bayes, LinearSVC, Logistic Regression, K-Nearest neighbour to build a classifier from training datasets. Implementation uses Suspicious-communications-on-social-platforms dataset.

Programmatic engagement in diversity, equity, and inclusion in U.S. vascular surgery training programs

ObjectiveGiven the diversity of populations that modern healthcare professionals treat, there has been an increasing call for academic medical centers to ensure that they themselves are diverse and inclusive. Historically, this has been measured by the composition of the workforce in terms of protected categories such as race/ethnicity, gender, and disability. However, these broad categories have only poorly reflected the actual ability of organizations to engage with a diverse workforce and patient population. The diversity and engagement survey (DES) is a specifically constructed and validated instrument designed to measure the integration of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within academic medical centers. The goal of the present study was to use the DES with vascular surgery program directors, to determine the predictors of low DEI in vascular surgery training programs. MethodsAn anonymous electronic survey was sent to all program directors and assistant program directors of vascular surgery training programs (residencies and fellowships) in the United States (n = 280). The survey consisted of 18 sections with 53 questions regarding details of the respondent, demographics, programmatic information, including information on faculty and trainee diversity, the resources available to enhance DEI within the program, institutional attitudes toward employees, and the DES itself. The total score from the DES section was used to the stratify institutions, which were classified as low DEI if in the bottom 25% percentile of the overall scores or as high DEI if scoring higher. Univariate analysis was used to determine whether any important differences were present in the demographics or survey responses between the institutions scoring as low vs high DEI. Multivariate logistic regression was also performed using the demographic variables and responses to the survey questions to determine their relationship to DEI status. ResultsThere were a total of 102 complete responses to the survey (36.4% response rate). The proportion of women was higher (66.67%) than the men (33.30%) in the low DEI cohort, although women were only 28.4% of the overall cohort. A statistically significant difference was found between the high and low DEI institutions in the proportion of those who had responded yes, no, or preferred not to disclose whether they had experienced discrimination or hurtful comments (P < .001) with 71% of the respondents in the low DEI institutions reporting this experience compared with only 11% in high DEI institutions. Multivariate analysis also demonstrated that non-male gender (odds ratio, 5.10; P = .034) and experiences of discrimination (odds ratio, 6.51; P = .024) were associated with low DEI institutions. ConclusionsNon-male program directors and those who had experienced discrimination at their institution were significantly more likely to find that their institution had low DEI.

A qualitative study on negative experiences of social media use and harm reduction strategies among youths in a multi-ethnic Asian society.

This study aimed to expand and inform the emerging body of research on the negative experiences of social media use among youths and how youths deal with them, in an Asian setting, using a qualitative approach. Data were collected using 11 focus group discussions (FGDs) and 25 semi-structured interviews (SIs) among youths aged 15 to 24 years residing in Singapore who were recruited via purposive sampling. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The salient negative effects mentioned by participants include the development of negative reactions and feelings from upward comparisons with others (e.g., others' achievements and lifestyle), receiving hurtful comments, exposure to controversial content (e.g., political events and social movements), as well as the perpetuation of negative feelings, behaviours, and sentiments (e.g., rumination, unhealthy eating behaviour, and self-harm). Participants also described strategies which they have employed or deemed to be useful in mitigating the negative effects of social media use. These include filtering content and users, taking breaks from social media, cognitive reframing, and self-affirmation, where they identify and change stress-inducing patterns of thinking by setting realistic social, physical, and lifestyle expectations for themselves, and focusing on self-development. The current results highlight that while youths experience negative effects of social media use, they have high media literacy and have employed strategies that appear to mitigate the negative effects of social media use. The findings can inform various stakeholders involved in helping youths navigate the harms of social media use or provide directions for intervention studies aimed at reducing the harms of social media use.

Appearance, insults, allegations, blame and threats: an analysis of anonymous non-constructive student evaluation of teaching in Australia

Within higher education student evaluations of teaching (SET) are used to inform evaluations of performance of courses and teachers. An anonymous online survey was constructed and implemented using Qualtrics. This study was situated within a more extensive study investigating the impact of narrative SET comments on teaching quality and the health and wellbeing of academic staff. This paper reports specifically on two open questions that were designed to elicit examples of non-constructive and offensive anonymous narrative feedback. Five themes were identified: allegations; insults; comments about appearance, attire and accent; projections and blame; and threats and punishment. These are represented in non-redacted form. Personally destructive, defamatory, abusive and hurtful comments were commonly reported. These kinds of comments may have adverse consequences for the well-being of teaching staff, could contribute to occupational stress and in some cases could be considered libellous. The high prevalence of offensive comments accessible to and shared by teachers may be a reflection of the anonymity afforded to respondents using internet surveys, resulting in de-individuation and enabling some respondents to give voice to ‘hate speech’ which has no place in evaluations of teaching.

Adolescents' Exposure to and Experiences of Weight Stigma During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ObjectiveThe COVID-19 pandemic has increased attention to the proliferation of pediatric obesity amidst significant changes in weight-related health functioning (e.g., compromised physical activity, limited food access, increased stress). The present cross-sectional study investigated adolescents’ feelings about their bodies and perceived changes in weight stigma from peers, parents, and social media during the pandemic.MethodsFour hundred fifty-two adolescents (11–17 years old) completed an online survey during the Fall of 2020. Measures assessed perceived changes in exposure to weight stigmatizing social media content (stress eating jokes, weight gain memes) and experiences of weight stigma (weight-based bullying, teasing, hurtful comments) by parents and peers, as well as body dissatisfaction, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Weight status and gender were examined as individual difference variables.ResultsThe majority (53%) of adolescents reported increased exposure to at least one form of weight stigmatizing social media content during the pandemic. Additionally, pandemic-related increases in body dissatisfaction were prevalent (41%), especially among girls with higher body mass index (≥85th percentile; 67%). On average, the extent to which adolescents experienced weight-based mistreatment from parents and peers remained consistent with their pre-pandemic experiences.ConclusionsOverall, these findings highlight changes in the social messages that adolescents receive about their bodies, as well as their subjective body satisfaction, during the pandemic. Results underscore the need for healthcare providers and mental health professionals to be aware of the potential rise in weight stigma during the pandemic, and encourage families and schools to engage in supportive, rather than stigmatizing, weight-related communication with youth.

Adults' Online and Offline Psychological Intimate Partner Violence Experiences.

Digital media offer ample possibilities for individuals to control and monitor their dating or romantic partner and to make hurtful comments. Although online psychological intimate partner violence has received increased research attention over the past few years, much remains unknown about its nature and its association with offline psychological intimate partner violence, especially among the adult population. Previous research remains inconclusive regarding the gendered nature of online intimate partner violence, and differences among various age groups have yet to be examined. The present study is intended to address these gaps in the literature by assessing the co-occurrence of psychological intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration, and the overlap between offline and online forms thereof. We conducted a large-scale survey study among a representative sample of 1,587 adults between the ages of 18 and 94 (M = 48.1, SD = 18.6), of which 1,144 (Mage = 47.7 years, 51.3% female) were in relationships at the time of data collection (2019). Our study findings indicate that experiences of online and offline psychological intimate partner violence tend to co-occur, as do victimization and perpetration experiences. Furthermore, we found that men were more often victims of both online and offline psychological partner violence than women, and women were more often perpetrators of both forms of psychological intimate partner violence than men. Younger age groups reported more victimization and perpetration of online and offline psychological intimate partner violence than older respondents. The results of our study underscore the need for age-appropriate intimate partner violence prevention.

“It’s only one negative comment”: women instructors’ perceptions of (un)helpful support messages following hurtful course evaluations

ABSTRACTCourse evaluations can be an effective tool for students to appraise a course and instructor; however, they can also be a communicative space for students to write comments instructors perceive as hurtful, need to make sense of and reconcile with their instructional practice. Instructors turn to others to help make sense of and cope with comments. This study applies a message-centered approach to consider what social support is in a specific context, types and functions of social support in that situation, and effects of that support based on unique cultural and institutional macrostructures of the communication event. The study's purpose was to identify support providers and messages women instructors receive when coping with hurtful comments. Collegiate women instructors (N = 81) received support from friends, family, colleagues, and administrators, including traditional forms (informational, network, emotion, esteem) as well as social undermining messages such as minimization and negative appraisal. Participants found network, situational appraisal, and esteem to be the most helpful types of support, and minimization, teaching recommendations, and negative appraisal to be the least helpful. Findings offer implications for women instructors seeking support for hurtful course evaluation comments and recommendations for how to offer support to those instructors.

“Walking on eggshells”: traversing the emotional and meaning making processes surrounding hurtful course evaluations

ABSTRACTInstructors often struggle with how to make sense of and handle hurtful student course evaluation comments. These comments can be difficult to resolve when they move from constructive course criticisms to hurtful comments about an instructor’s race, gender, appearance, or personality. Relying on the Meaning Making Model (MMM), this study explored the emotional and sense-making processes surrounding hurtful evaluation comments. Participants (N = 90) described how they made sense of their hurtful student course evaluation comments. Findings revealed that instructors primarily experienced rage, sadness, neglect, and suffering, and engaged in a meaning making process characterized by self-doubt and subsequent negative emotional spiraling. Hurtful course evaluation comments influenced how instructors perceived course evaluations, their student–instructor relationships, and their effort to communicate with students. Participants also identified preventative measures to avoid future hurtful comments. Implications offer extensions to the MMM and practical recommendations for instructors.

Incidences of cyberbullying among adolescents

India stands third in the globally visible serious issue of cyberbullying. Urban adolescents are enormous user of technology and Ahmedabad being one of the top city of Internet users is supposed to be at high risk. The study was aimed to examine the nature and extent of cyberbullying among adolescents of Ahmedabad city of Gujarat state. The sample consisted of 240 respondents (120 boys and 120 girls) from standard VII to XII of two private co-educational English medium schools. Self – prepared questionnaire and modified version of Cyberbullying and Online Aggression Survey Instrument (Hinduja and Patchin, 2015) was used to elicit the data. Involvement in cyberbullying was seen for life time and for last thirty days before gathering the data. Findings indicates that nearly fifteen (14.17%) per cent respondents were involved in cyberbullying in their lifetime whereas seven (6.67 %) per cent were involved in last thirty days. The most common ways of cyberbullying were posting mean or hurtful comments and spreading of rumours. Computer instant messages and Facebook was most usual online environment where cyberbullying occurred. Overall, the extent of involvement of respondents in cyberbullying was low but it was sufficient enough to identify its emergence in our society.

HIV Status Disclosure in the Workplace: Positive and Stigmatizing Experiences of Health Care Workers Living with HIV

We explored workplace experiences of 10 health care providers with HIV in the Netherlands. We used semi-structured interviews to discuss motivations for disclosure and concealment, reactions to disclosures, the impact of reactions, and coping with negative reactions. Reasons for disclosure were wanting to share the secret, expecting positive responses, observing positive reactions to others, wanting to prevent negative reactions, and being advised to disclose. Reasons for concealment included fearing negative reactions, observing negative reactions, previous negative experiences, having been advised to conceal, and considering disclosure unnecessary. Positive reactions included seeing HIV as a nonissue; showing interest, support, and empathy; and maintaining confidentiality. Negative reactions included management wanting to inform employees, work restrictions, hiring difficulties, gossip, and hurtful comments, resulting in participants being upset, taken aback, angry, depressed, or feeling resignation. Participants coped by providing information, standing above the experience, attributing reactions to ignorance, seeking social support, or leaving their jobs.