Participation In Such Groups Research Articles

Special Rules of the Special Part of the Russian Criminal Code on Participation in the Activities of Organizations Registered in the Russian Federation or other Jurisdictions (Art. 239 of the RF CC)

The Russian legislator does not have a systematic approach to criminalizing the creation of groups of a certain orientation, their leadership and participation in such groups. At first glance, a variety of norms containing a ban on the commission of such acts are the norms of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, enshrined in the Part. 1-3 tbsp. 239 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. These norms prohibit the creation of associations or organizations, their management and participation in them. This prohibition is due to the nature of the activities of the relevant association or organization. The problem is that we are talking about associations or organizations that have legal status in the Russian Federation, and the activities of the leaders or participants of such organizations, which are prohibited by the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, go beyond the scope determined by their legal status. Thus, a participant or head of a legally existing organization can carry out illegal activities under the guise of such an organization without complicity with anyone, and, consequently, the norms of Art. 239 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation cannot be classified as special norms of the Special Part on criminal associations, since the presence of a criminal association when committing these crimes is an optional circumstance.

Facebook Online Support Groups for Hospice Family Caregivers of Advanced Cancer Patients: Protocol, Facilitation Skills and Promising Outcomes

Research has demonstrated a lack of support for hospice caregivers and a higher than average level of self-reported anxiety and depression. While online support groups are gaining popularity, few protocols have been published, little research has demonstrated the skills required to facilitate, and virtually no data has explored the clinical outcomes affiliated with participation in such groups. This paper presents the preliminary experience and results of a clinical trial testing the use of online support groups designed to both educate and provide social support to caregivers of hospice cancer patients. A detailed protocol outlines educational strategies, discussion questions, and a blueprint outlining ways to engage participants. A review of field notes completed by the interventionist reveal specific facilitation skills and strategies used to engage participants. Finally, preliminary analysis of 78 participants shows the group is having a statistically significant impact on the caregiver depression.

Exploring the patient perspectives of student‐resourced service delivery of rehabilitation groups: A qualitative study

AbstractIntroductionOccupational therapists commonly use groups to deliver rehabilitation. Previous research has established that patients value participation in such groups. With increasing demands for rehabilitation services, meeting the intensity of occupational therapy practice required for recovery is challenging. Group‐based services are one approach to support increased rehabilitation need for intensity of practice. Student‐resourced service delivery (SRSD) of rehabilitation groups is a novel practice placement model that shows potential for rehabilitation care delivery. There is little research reporting patient experiences and perspectives of SRSD rehabilitation groups. Understanding the perspectives of patients' experiences of the groups is required for meaningful programme evaluation. This study aimed to explore patient experiences of SRSD of rehabilitation groups.MethodsThis multisite qualitative study examined the perspectives of 26 rehabilitation inpatients participating in SRSD group sessions across two rehabilitation sites. The SRSD group sessions were overseen by an occupational therapist. Data were collected through semi‐structured interviews and analysed using inductive thematic analysis guided by a phenomenological approach.ResultsThree themes emerged: (1) seeing the relevance of SRSD groups, (2) enhancing the process of SRSD groups, and (3) the value of social interaction.ConclusionSRSD rehabilitation groups were well received by patients with perceived benefits such as opportunities for social interactions. Findings from this study may inform clinical practice including models of student practice placement education.

Systemic Gendering in Facebook Group Participation

Communication is increasingly taking place in Facebook Groups around the world. Yet, we have little scientific knowledge of Facebook Groups at scale, especially the extent to which general systemic gendering is a pattern in participation in such groups. This knowledge deficit is problematic for digitalized and data-driven democratic societies. Therefore, this article aims to investigate gender differences in open, closed, and secret Facebook Groups. The study relies on a unique large-scale Facebook Group dataset from a sample that reflects the gender of Facebook users and the Facebook Groups they belong to in both Denmark and South Korea. By applying Bayesian models and developing a notion of participation that consists of both structural and actual participation, the study finds that the relation between country, gender, and participation is strongly modulated by gender differences. Females are more engaged than males in Denmark, while the opposite is true for South Korea. In both countries, privacy affects females’ participation more than males’. This article contributes to the field by presenting new large-scale findings that explore gender differences on three levels of Facebook Group privacy settings (open, closed, and secret) in a hitherto understudied communication space and, by doing so, it highlights the importance of privacy and country in predicting systemic gendering.

Understanding Singapore's dynamic parrot trade ecosystem

AbstractSingapore is prominent in the global trade of pet birds, primarily parrots. This includes its role as a key international transit hub, and also its growing domestic market, including for threatened species. There is a need to understand the trade beyond volumes and flows, including consumer knowledge, preferences and behaviours, and interactions with vendors, hobbyist groups and supporting industries. We used three methods to examine this: (1) a questionnaire with stakeholders (including parrot owners, hobbyist group members, breeders and supporting industry professionals), about the motivations for parrot ownership and interest in sustainable trade, (2) semi-structured interviews with key informants about trade dynamics, and (3) a review of online hobbyist groups. Based on our findings, we provide an initial mapping of the country's parrot trade ecosystem. Fifty-one per cent of respondents claimed to be a member of a parrot hobbyist group and 64% agreed their participation in such groups had encouraged them to purchase more parrots. The majority (71%) of parrot owners reported a preference for captive-bred rather than wild-caught parrots, and 72% were concerned about the illegal hunting of parrots for commercial trade. Most were willing to pay more (70%) and wait longer (73%) to procure a sustainably sourced parrot. Our approach presents the wildlife trade as a complex social phenomenon, with multiple physical and online channels, regulatory challenges, social networks, and evolving consumer preferences. We also document the pivotal role of hobbyist groups and their untapped potential to leverage these networks to improve sustainable trade.

МУЗИЧНЕ ВИХОВАННЯ УЧНІВ У ШКОЛАХ РЕСПУБЛІКИ ІРЛАНДІЇ

The article examines and summarizes the experience of music education of students in schools of the Republic of Ireland, highlights the main trends and approaches to the content of lessons and extracurricular activities with students of different ages, aesthetic education through music and the formation of European and national values. Vocal and vocal-instrumental ensembles are created. Participation in such groups requires knowledge of musical notation, mastering the technique of reading notes, mastering the skills and abilities to use the means of musical expression. In addition to rock music, one of the most popular vocal genres in Ireland is shan-nose - highly ornamented improvisational singing (ie singing with a large number of chants), where there are several parts of voices, from which the overall composition is built. Over time, Irish folk music changed. Most of the songs are of rural origin and are associated with ancient Irish language traditions. More modern songs are performed in both Irish and English. Involvement of student youth in the performance of various genres of choral and vocal music promotes patriotic education and the formation of moral and aesthetic qualities that positively affect the worldview of young people, contribute to the involvement of world cultural values. Involvement of student youth in the performance of various genres of choral and vocal music promotes patriotic education and the formation of moral and aesthetic qualities that positively affect the worldview of young people, contribute to the involvement of world cultural values. A prominent place in the organization of musical and creative activities is given to independent work. To this end, teachers develop guidelines, conduct practical classes, which focus on methods and techniques of mastering the skills of playing a particular musical instrument. Using the methods of showing, explaining, demonstrating, illustrating, repeating individual musical episodes and overcoming performance techniques, students develop technical skills, memory, logical thinking, practice performance skills and gain experience in interpreting the content of a piece of music. It should be noted that musical education of students in schools of the Republic of Ireland has a stable approach and is based on the folk traditions of previous generations, meets modern requirements for the formation of musical culture of youth, aesthetic feelings and development of intellectual and creative abilities.

Informal Student Groups in the Context of the COVID‑19 Pandemic

Informal student groups in Far Eastern Federal University exhibited significant activity and received essential support from the university administrators during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Since the pandemic burst out, the number of informal student groups known to administrators has only increased, counterintuitively. Our findings show that the value of informal student groups for participants in the educational process is comparable to that of formal education programs, although participation in such groups is not part of any formal requirements or explicit societal demands. A series of interviews was conducted with members of informal student groups (a volunteer community, a group of medical volunteers, associations of engineering and information technology students), faculty members, and administrators. Analysis of interview transcripts shows that informal student groups can be considered valuable in the university corporation as a way of entering a profession, as a response to the implicit societal demand for “maturity” and agency development in students, and as a means of “appropriating” the learning environment and becoming a member of the university corporation. At the same time, a number of respondents perceive self-organization within student groups as generally and intrinsically valuable. Our findings show that informal student groups have an unspoken value in themselves, supported by an equally unspoken societal demand for “collectivist education”, which is yet to be discussed.

Facebook groups provide effective social support to patients after bariatric surgery.

Social support after bariatric surgery is considered essential. Unfortunately, patient participation in such groups tends to be limited threatening their effectiveness. Facebook groups may provide a social support option that attracts more participation. The aim of this study was to describe our experience with the administration of a Facebook social support group and evaluate its perceived value by our bariatric patients. After IRB approval, all Facebook group posts since its establishment in 2015 were reviewed and a thematic analysis was undertaken. Group members also completed a survey related to their Facebook group experience and its perceived value. Responses were collected using 5-point Likert scales. In addition, 30 members were phone interviewed using open-ended questions and their responses were analyzed. Over 4years, the group accumulated 12,507 posts, 104,053 comments, and 197,594 reactions. On average, members check the group page more than once per day. Ten common themes were identified in the submitted posts: questions, motivation related, education related, diet related, physical activity related, current status updates, sharing failures, social, random/humorous and other. Members reported that the group helped them do well with their procedure (3.3/5) particularly due to the motivation of others' successful stories (3.5/5) and made them feel understood (3.9/5) even though it offered limited help controlling their eating habits (2.7/5). The phone interviews suggested that the Facebook group offered constant support, was simple to use, and provided the sole social support for many patients. They most appreciated the motivational posts that kept them on track and the assistance/comments of clinical staff. In contrast, they disliked repeated questions/spam and negative stories shared by some members. Facebook groups can provide effective social support to patients after bariatric surgery. Peers educate, answer questions, and motivate patients by sharing their positive experiences. Whether this online connectedness also positively impacts patient outcomes requires further study.

Time preferences and commitment devices: evidence from ROSCAs and funeral groups in Benin

ABSTRACTDrawing on first-hand data collected from a household survey in urban Benin, we examine membership in two types of informal groups that display the characteristics of a commitment device: Rotating Savings and Credit Associations (ROSCAs) and funeral groups. We investigate whether agents displaying time preferences with a present bias are more likely to commit themselves through participation in such groups. Our results provide evidence indicating that women who display such preferences are more likely to join funeral groups, but not ROSCAs, and to save more through them. These results hold for women but not for men. We also ensure that our results cannot be explained by intra-household conflict issues.

Age differences in outcomes among patients in the “Stimulant Abuser Groups to Engage in 12-Step” (STAGE-12) intervention

Emerging adults (roughly 18–29years) with substance use disorders can benefit from participation in twelve-step mutual-help organizations (TSMHO), however their attendance and participation in such groups is relatively low. Twelve-step facilitation therapies, such as the Stimulant Abuser Groups to Engage in 12-Step (STAGE-12), may increase attendance and involvement, and lead to decreased substance use. AimsAnalyses examined whether age moderated the STAGE-12 effects on substance use and TSMHO meeting attendance and participation. DesignWe utilized data from a multisite randomized controlled trial, with assessments at baseline, mid-treatment (week 4), end-of-treatment (week 8), and 3- and 6- months post-randomization. ParticipantsParticipants were adults with DSM-IV diagnosed stimulant abuse or dependence (N=450) enrolling in 10 intensive outpatient substance use treatment programs across the U.S. AnalysisA zero-inflated negative binomial random-effects regression model was utilized to examine age-by-treatment interactions on substance use and meeting attendance and involvement. FindingsYounger age was associated with larger treatment effects for stimulant use. Specifically, younger age was associated with greater odds of remaining abstinent from stimulants in STAGE-12 versus Treatment-as-Usual; however, among those who were not abstinent during treatment, younger age was related to greater rates of stimulant use at follow-up for those in STAGE-12 compared to TAU. There was no main effect of age on stimulant use. Younger age was also related to somewhat greater active involvement in different types of TSMHO activities among those in STAGE-12 versus TAU. There were no age-by-treatment interactions for other types of substance use or for treatment attendance, however, in contrast to stimulant use; younger age was associated with lower odds of abstinence from non-stimulant drugs at follow-up, regardless of treatment condition. These results suggest that STAGE-12 can be beneficial for some emerging adults with stimulant use disorder, and ongoing assessment of continued use is of particular importance.

„E-wsparcie” dla rodziców w edukacji domowej dzieci

The aim of the article is to touch on the important issue that is children’s out-of-school education, which goes beyond the existing education system. Home education takes place in the domestic environment, and the teachers are usually the parents, who adapt the curriculum, methods and means to the individual abilities of the child. Home education is a reflection of the needs and educational aspirations of modern parents. To meet this challenge, parents need, and look for, support in their educational activities. Direct help is not always available in the local community, particularly from competent persons versed in the specifics of family functioning within the framework of home education. Helpless parents try, therefore, to find help on social networks, for example in parents’ groups on Facebook. Participation in such groups becomes a key source of informational, emotional and sometimes instrumental e-support.The aim of the study is to determine the scale of the phenomenon that is parents searching for and obtaining assistance online. The subject of analysis were posts from five Facebook groups which have a diverse membership and number of members: two open nationwide groups, two closed groups (nationwide and local) and one secret group. The number of members in these groups varies: the open groups are the largest, with approx. 2,000 to 9,000 members, the closed groups are smaller, with approx. 150 to 1,000 members, and the secret groups are the smallest (the group analysed had 15 members). Posts from 6 months on average were analysed in each group, from the turn of 2015 and 2016.

Ruch samopomocowy osób z doświadczeniem choroby psychicznej – Grupa Wsparcia TROP

Abstract Objective The aim of this article is to present the role and importance of self-help among the mentally ill people, show the status of such activities in the world and in Poland, as well as to present good practices on the example of actions Support Group “TROP”. Views For many years self-help groups of the mentally ill people have been dynamically operating in the United States and Western Europe. The basis of their activity is the assumption that people with similar problems can support one another. Participation in such groups has a positive effect on the perceived support, self-esteem and quality of life, as commitment to the self-help movement supports the healing process. User organizations also have a significant influence on the current shape of the mental health system. In Poland self-help movements are still in the early stages of creation. One of the few self-help groups is the Support Group “TROP” which is part of to the People with Mental Illnesses Support Agreement. The group leads to extensive activities that include education and intervention in the field of human rights, the provision of telephone counseling other patients, educational meetings pertaining to the destigmatization for school and university students and for NGOs. Group members are present in the media and participate in scientific conferences presenting their experiences in dealing with the mental illness and recovery. Conclusions The self-help activities of people who have experienced mental illness play an important role in supporting other ill people and their families. Those people can also contribute to changes in the mental health system and preventing stigmatization. Mentally ill people community has the potential necessary to take such actions. Access to stable funding and training programs aimed at promoting competence in counseling, human rights and public appearance form the basis for the effectiveness of such initiatives. Basing on the experience, it may be concluded that colleges provide the most opportune conditions ensuring partnership and support offered to the independent activity of the mentally ill people.

Teacher learning as collective creation: thinking with the theatre arts

Teacher learning groups represent an increasingly widely used strategy for teachers’ in-service professional development. While teachers have largely embraced participation in such groups, researchers have critiqued the effectiveness of the groups’ practices in supporting participants’ learning and their impact on instructional practice. This article presents a cross-domain study into teacher learning group practices. Drawing on practices for collective creation in theatre arts, the author constructs a model for generating instructional and conceptual resources within teacher learning groups. The model highlights three interacting elements: means, materials, and modes of engagement. To test its capacity as an analytical framework for activity in teacher learning groups, the article applies it to an episode from a primary school group. The article proposes use of the framework as a tool for teacher learning groups to structure critical self-reflection on their own practices. The article concludes with implications for teacher learning groups, teacher educators, and researchers.

Social networks and mental health among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Johannesburg, South Africa

People living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) in developing countries can live longer due to improved treatment access, and a deeper understanding of determinants of their quality of life is critical. This study assessed the link between social capital, operationally defined in terms of social networks (group-based and personal social networks) and access to network resources (access to material and non-material resources and social support) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among 554 (55% female) adults on HIV treatment through South Africa's public health system. Female study participants were involved with more group-based social networks but had fewer personal social networks in comparison to males. Access to network resources was higher among females and those from larger households but lower among older study participants. Experience of social support significantly increased with household economic status and duration at current residence. Social capital indicators were unrelated to HIV disease status indicators, including duration since diagnosis, CD4 count and viral load. Only a minority (13%) of study participants took part in groups formed by and for predominantly PLHIV (HIV support groups), and participation in such groups was unrelated to their mental or physical health. Personal rather than group-linked social networks and access to network resources were significantly associated with mental but not physical health, after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. The findings of limited participation in HIV support groups and that the participation in such groups was not significantly associated with physical or mental health may suggest efforts among PLHIV in South Africa to normalise HIV as a chronic illness through broad-based rather than HIV-status bounded social participation, as a strategy for deflecting stigma. Further research is required to examine the effects of HIV treatment on social networking and participation among PLHIV within both rural and other urban settings of South Africa.

Spectacular Youth Cultures and Ageing: Beyond Refusing to Grow Up

AbstractFor decades, research on the subject of music and style subcultures has presented participation in such groups as a temporary manifestation of adolescence. More recently, sociologists have begun to examine the lives and identities of those who remain involved in so‐called ‘youth’ subcultures beyond their teens and early twenties. This article examines the ways such work has begun to illuminate the role of enduring subcultural identities as part of the developing lives of older participants. Such work, I suggest, rejects simplistic understandings of older participation as a refusal to grow up in favour of a detailed focus on the relationships between continuing participation and other aspects of developing adult life, including career, family and the ageing body. Identifying core themes and debates while identifying areas for further work, I argue that this developing field of research addresses one of the primary criticisms of youth cultural research in the past, which is that such research has tended to examine leisure related affiliations in a fixed period of time and in isolation from the rest of participants’ lives.

Morrigan Rising: Exploring female-targeted propaganda on hate group websites

The role of racist women in hate groups remains an underdeveloped area of research, although scholars have suggested that female participation in such groups may vary among the different ideologies of the organizations. One method for exploring this research question involves examining the hate groups’ propaganda. The internet has become an increasingly popular method for distributing propaganda, thus the purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the propaganda targeted towards women on hate group websites. A content analysis was conducted on the websites of hate groups identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The results indicate that of 19 websites containing propaganda targeted towards women, almost all of them highlighted traditional gender roles, primarily the woman’s role in educating and raising an Aryan family, as their primary contribution to the movement. Some groups emphasized secondary roles and the implications of the propaganda push are discussed.

‘Painting a path to wellness’: correlations between participating in a creative activity group and improved measured mental health outcome

Responding to a call for quantitative outcome evidence about the therapeutic relationship between creative activity and mental health, this study examined the mental health outcomes of inpatients participating in art- and craft-based creative therapies at a private psychiatric hospital over a 5-year period. The creative activity group sample (n= 403) improved from admission to discharge across four different psychometric measures with moderate to strong mean effect sizes. Reductions from pre- to post-treatment in both self-reported and clinician-rated symptoms are clearly demonstrated for the creative activity group participant sample. Research findings establish that participation in creative activity has potential benefits for people experiencing mental health problems.

Widening participation without widening attainment: The case of ethnic minority students

The participation of people from ethnic minorities in UK higher education is greater than that of White people. Nevertheless, students from ethnic minorities are less likely to obtain ‘good’ degrees (those awarded with first or upper second-class honours) than are White students. This article discusses some possible causes and implications of this attainment gap. It is equally apparent in graduates who have taken courses by distance learning with the Open University, including those who graduate in psychology, and it is equally apparent in the grades awarded to students who have taken the courses that make up the psychology degree. This pattern may apply to other groups who are the focus of attempts to widen access to UK higher education. It is premature to promote the idea of widening participation in such groups unless they can be guaranteed equity in terms of their subsequent attainment.

Do individuals with schizophrenia and a borderline intellectual disability benefit from psychoeducational groups?

Studies on psychoeducation in schizophrenia demonstrate significant effects on rehospitalization rates, compliance and knowledge. Within the framework of the Munich COGPIP study we examined whether borderline intellectual disability in patients with schizophrenia limits the benefit from psychoeducational groups. A total of 116 inpatients with schizophrenic or schizoaffective disorders were recruited for the COGPIP study. A manualized, interactive psychoeducational programme of eight sessions (4 weeks) was initiated. Measures of knowledge, adherence and the concept of illness were completed before and after the groups. The short-term outcome of 22 participants with schizophrenia and borderline intellectual disability (IQ 70-85) was compared with the outcome of 75 participants with schizophrenia and IQ > 85. Results showed that individuals with schizophrenia and borderline intellectual disability could be successfully integrated into general psychoeducational groups. The conclusion is that borderline intellectual disability should not be an exclusion criterion for participation in such groups.

Perceptions of psychosocial support groups by parents who have a child with diabetes: a needs analysis

Psychosocial support groups play an important role in assisting parents to understand and manage the demands of having a child with diabetes. Actual participation in such groups is marred by problems of poor uptake, irregular attendance and attrition. A survey was conducted with a convenience sample of parents to determine their knowledge needs about preferred program characteristics, the management of diabetes, perceived barriers to program participation, and factors facilitating group attendance. A response rate of 66% (n = 40) was achieved. Parents favoured a program that was only conducted monthly or three to six times a year, held during the evening or weekend and of two or three hours duration. Parents were keen to know more about new developments in the treatment of diabetes, and strategies to assist their child when they refuse medication or treatment. The most commonly reported barriers to group attendance were distance, timing of groups, and employment demands. Participants were more likely to attend a support group in order to learn new information or skills, keep up to date, as well as meet parents in the same situation. Support groups need to address both content and practical issues for enhanced support and empowerment of families.