Pastoral Support Research Articles

Resilience and Faith: A Muslim Chaplain’s Insights on Muslim American Students Coping Amidst the Destruction of Palestine

Muslim American college students are no strangers to anti-Muslim sentiment in America. However, Israel’s invasion and destruction of Gaza has resulted in widespread anguish, particularly as firsthand experiences are now accessible online. Through an interview with a Muslim chaplain, we gain insight into the complexities involved in delivering pastoral care and support to this marginalized community.

The Role and Impact of the Prison Chaplain: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis.

While the relationship between crime, prisons and religion has been the subject of extensive research, the contemporary role and impact of prison chaplaincy remains a relatively under-explored area of study. This systematic literature review explored the role and impact of the prison chaplain. The role included pastoral and emotional support as well as religious, practical, and educational input. The impact included rehabilitation, creation of communities, calm, forgiveness and atonement.

Losses and support in the grieving process –– pastoral and media context

The loss of a close person is accompanied by various emotional, cognitive, behavioural, physical, spiritual and social reactions. The process of grieving therefore has an impact not only on the course of grief, bereavement itself, and the perception of losses, but also on the human being generally. In accordance with experts, grieving after a loved one who died of the virus that causes COVID-19 is specific. In most cases, it is characterized by a lack of personal contact with a seriously ill person due to infection and quarantine measures during hospitalization, and later a characteristic ban on personal farewells or touching due to the potential threat of infection. In addition, this specifics is accompanied by reflections on how the infection occurred in the first place, or anger at the lost person for not being careful enough, or anger at the health system that provided help to the sick loved one. The paper takes into account the aforementioned as a starting point for the presentation of grief and bereavement, which also takes place in the space of social media during the pandemic. The article seeks to contribute to the overall concept of pastoral bereavement support and contemporary digital support for grief and bereavement. It can be achieved by presenting the possibilities of online support for mourners in the context of the French philosopher Vladimir Jankélévitch's (1977) relational model of death. Rabatel and eventually Floréa referred to this issue and started the research on the announcement of death in the media. The goal of such studies was to show that the conventional media focuses on the death of distant people that "doesn’t concern us" (i.e., "third person death"), whereas new technologies give the opportunity and space to talk about the death of close people (i.e., "second person death") as well as one's own death (i.e., "first person death"). The text presents the online space as a place where pastoral care and accompanying the mourners or grieving men is not only possible but also beneficial.

The Implementation of Repentance, Confession, and Penance in the Sacrament of Reconciliation at Stasi Santo Thomas Onan Rihit

The Sacrament of Reconciliation, central to Catholic doctrine, facilitates the restoration of relationships between the penitent, the community, and the divine. This study examines the implementation and experiences of the sacrament through the essential acts of repentance, confession, and penance, highlighting their roles in spiritual and moral transformations. Employing a qualitative approach, the research gathered data through observations, in-depth interviews, and documentation at Stasi Santo Thomas Rasul Onan Rihit. The findings reveal that repentance initiates spiritual renewal while confession promotes transparency and humility, thereby strengthening communal bonds. Penance, tailored to individual transgressions, not only addresses past wrongs but also fosters spiritual growth and community harmony. Challenges remain in fully engaging penitents with the sacrament, pointing to the need for enhanced pastoral support and theological education. This study underscores the sacrament's enduring relevance and its capacity to facilitate profound spiritual life within the contemporary Catholic context.

Examining the adoption of technology-enhanced learning in universities and its effects on student performance, satisfaction, and motivation

The integration of technology in Higher Education has witnessed substantial growth in recent years. While extensive research has explored the collective educational implications of Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL) at universities, there remains an incomplete understanding of its effects on individual students when viewed through the lens of Person-Environment misfit theory and technostress. This paper aims to fill this gap by examining the impact of student and university misfit when adopting TEL and technostress on students' performance, satisfaction, and motivation. Utilizing a quantitative survey, we gathered data from a sample of 332 Higher Education students in the UK. The results reveal the significant influence of student and university misfit in adopting TEL on academic performance, satisfaction, and motivation. Moreover, the findings highlight the mediating role of technostress in these intricate relationships. Our research indicates that technostress stems not from the use of technology itself but from the misfit between students and the university learning environment. To address this, universities should enhance students' sense of belonging by offering additional pastoral and academic support. Moreover, providing training to boost students' digital confidence and skills is crucial. Creating a psychologically healthy technology-enhanced learning environment will ensure a more pleasant learning experience, alleviating student technostress.

EFFECT OF SPIRITUAL INTERVENTION ON STRESS MANAGEMENT AMONG STUDENT MOTHERS IN KENYAN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KENYA: A CASE OF BUNGOMA COUNTY, KENYA

Internationally, teenage pregnancy has been recognized as a major pertinent issue. Lack of adequate family support affects the emotional well-being of the pregnant student mother as well as the unborn and/or the newborn baby. Furthermore, student motherhood hinders the chance of the student mother from completing her studies. In Kenya, teenage pregnancy thwarts achievements in the education of the girl child. The objective of this study was to establish the effect of spiritual intervention on stress management among student mothers in public secondary schools in Kimilili Sub-County, Bungoma County, Kenya. This study was guided by William Glasser’s Psychological Reality Theory on Maladaptive Behaviour. The study employed a cross-sectional research design. The target population was 5,069 Form three and Form four girls from public secondary schools in Kimilili Sub-County, Bungoma County, Kenya. The study also targeted 23 school Guidance and Counselling teachers as well as 23 school Chaplains. The sample size table proposed by Krejcie & Morgan, 1970 was used to obtain 381 female students from girls’ schools as well as mixed schools, 19 Guidance and Counselling teachers and 19 School Chaplains. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used to gather qualitative and quantitative data. The instruments used to collect data were piloted with the intention of establishing their validity and reliability using a Cronbach alpha value greater than 0.7, which is an indication of higher reliability. SPSS package version 23 was used to analyse both descriptive and inferential statistics. Presentations were done in frequencies and percentage tables. Descriptive data were analyzed using means, percentages, and standard deviations. Inferential data were analyzed using Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient (r). Spiritual counselling had a positive and significant effect on stress management (r=0.836, p<0.000). The study concluded that spiritual intervention has a significant effect on stress management among student mothers in public secondary schools in Kimilili sub-county, Bungoma County, Kenya. Consequently, this study recommends that schools should prioritize and enhance consistent pastoral support for student mothers. Also, there is a need for comprehensive sex education from parents, guidance and counselling teachers, school and religious leaders. Further, the study recommends that future studies be conducted on specific counselling approaches that prove most effective in managing stress among student mothers. Also, there is a need to consider further studies on factors contributing to teenage pregnancies among students in the region.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0890/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

The other side of the coin: do the benefits of being a Christian postgraduate at a secular university in England contribute to student wellbeing?

ABSTRACT The mental-health crisis in higher education affects postgraduate students around the world, anxiety, depression and non-belonging being significant issues in this population. The positive relationships between faith and mental health and wellbeing are widely researched, yet little connection has been made between student mental health and religiosity. Half of postgraduate students in the UK identify with a religion or spirituality – exploring the benefits of faith on student mental health is vital. In this mixed methods case study, analysing 75 online survey responses and 17 interviews with and about Christian postgraduates at a red-brick university in England found that being a student of faith is a mixed experience. On the one hand, Christian students face various challenges on a secular campus, which may negatively affect their mental health and belonging, such as stereotyping, feeling counter-cultural and invisibility. Yet, personal faith and Christian communities provide a number of benefits to students, who reported that having faith significantly supports their mental health, gives them meaning and purpose and their belonging is facilitated by ready-made communities (e.g. churches). These advantages directly benefit both the students and their university, through providing pastoral and mental health support and potentially contributing to student retention.

Living in the Aftermath: Spiritual Struggles of Hong Kong Christian Women Survivors of Sexual Violence

Spiritual trauma is one of the common outcomes for Christian women trauma survivors together with other psychological challenges (McNulty & Wardle in Child Abuse & Neglect, 18, 549–555, 1994; Rudolfsson & Tidefors in Pastoral Psychology, 64, 453–467, 2015; Yih in "Business as usual": Are Hong Kong faith communities supportive to Christian women with sexual harassment trauma? under review). Victims frequently experience much disappointment with the pastoral or congregational support they receive in the aftermath of their disclosure, which critically exacerbates their primary traumatic overwhelm and causes various faith-related challenges collectively known as spiritual struggle (Doyle in Sexual abuse in the Catholic clergy: A decade of crisis, 2002–2012 (pp. 171–182). Praegar, 2011). In this paper, I critically examine the spiritual aspect within the complex processes of Hong Kong Christian women survivors of sexual violence trauma recovering from the impacts caused by the responses of the victims’ faith communities using the qualitative research methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The paper contributes to the growing efforts to develop an integrated and holistic provision of theologically robust and trauma-informed pastoral care for those struggling on the complex and challenging journey in the aftermath of trauma caused by sexual violence.

The Resilience of Catholic Migrant Workers' Marriages: Socio-Religious Challenges in South Malang, Indonesia

This study examines the resilience of Catholic migrant workers' marriages in South Malang, Indonesia, within a diverse socio-religious context. The research aims to explore the challenges faced by Catholic couples in maintaining long-distance marriages and to analyze the strategies they employ to preserve marital harmony. Utilizing a qualitative approach with phenomenological methods, this study involves in-depth interviews with two Catholic couples, one of whom works as a migrant worker. The results indicate that couples face dual challenges: economic pressures driving migration and the complexity of maintaining religious identity as a minority. Strategies employed include intensive communication, strengthening faith, and involvement in church communities. Analysis using "superdiversity" and "lived religion" theories reveals how couples negotiate their Catholic identity in a diverse social context. The discussion highlights the importance of contextual pastoral support and interfaith dialogue. In conclusion, the resilience of Catholic marriages in the context of migration and diversity requires complex negotiation between religious teachings, socio-economic realities, and personal interpretations, potentially contributing to broader social harmony.

Student‐generated metaphor in research supervision: An arts‐based method

AbstractPrevious research has highlighted the impact and importance of the use of client‐generated metaphor in psychotherapy (Cott, 2020). While researching this topic, we began to incorporate student‐generated metaphor into the research supervision process. This was found to enhance the supervision relationship, providing a quick and immediate insight into the supervisee's lived experience and pastoral needs at each stage of the research journey. This work developed into an arts‐based research supervision method, which reduced the power differential in the supervisory relationship, and made space for the supervisee to communicate their learning experience on their own terms. In this paper, we will set out the rationale for using student‐generated metaphor in research supervision and share further student feedback on this process, including future ideas for research and practice. We argue that theory and research on research supervision often neglect its pastoral component, and that providing excellent pastoral support to postgraduate researchers is key. The paper will conclude by making the case that the use of student‐generated metaphor in research supervision can be a simple and effective way to bring the supervisory relationship into focus.

Indigenous bridging/foundation education: student feedback on programme successes, challenges and opportunities

Hikitia te Ora (Certificate in Health Sciences) is a 1 year Indigenous bridging foundation programme at the University of Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. The programme aims to increase Māori and Pacific health workforce representation. This qualitative study applied a Kaupapa Māori positioning to elucidate the strengths, challenges, and opportunities of the programme. Data were collected through two workshops and seven focus groups with a total of 67 participants who were students of Hikitia te Ora from past and present cohorts, or their family members. Using a general inductive thematic analysis, the primary themes identified were that programme successes encompassed whanaungatanga (process of establishing relationships), academic and pastoral support, programme structure and the teaching content. Challenges included social cliques and divisive social groupings, timetabling of courses and high workloads. The three areas that emerged for further development include extending Pacific content, increasing the number of students in the programme, and maintaining a programme-specific study space for students. Implementing the findings from this study into Hikitia te Ora is expected to improve educational outcomes for Māori and Pacific students and may have the potential to benefit other bridging foundation courses aiming to promote Indigenous health workforce development.

Recipes for institutional adoption of a teacher-driven learning analytics tool

The changing landscape of higher education is putting increasing strain on educators, leading to a diminishing ability to provide pedagogical and pastoral support to ballooning and diversifying cohorts. Learning analytics promises solutions to these challenges for educators, including by personalising learning support and experiences, streamlining data capture and analyses, and providing teachers with new, efficient teaching approaches. However, reports of these impacts, or widespread adoption of learning analytics, or even examples of cross-institutional collaboration are sparse. We argue that this may be because of a lack of educator-driven learning analytics tools that meet their felt needs, and present case studies from three Australian universities that have collaborated to implement such a tool. This tool, the Student Relationship Engagement System (SRES), empowers educators to collect, collate, analyse, and use student engagement and success data that they consider meaningful for their particular contexts. Developed by unfunded educators and widely adopted through collegiate recommendations, the SRES enables personalisation and targeting of student learning and support using relevant data, fostering positive student-teacher relationships and enhancing student engagement. Using the three case studies as a backdrop, we present a revised learning analytics adoption framework focussing on strategy, structure, support, and impact, and use this framework to systematically evaluate the implementation of the SRES at the three institutions to derive ‘recipes’ for adopting an educator-focussed learning analytics platform. We also discuss three core themes emerging from the case studies, around the needs of academics, the role of academic and educational developers, and flexible and agile information technology practices.

Preventing harmful sexual behaviours in children and young people: evaluating the role of primary education

ABSTRACT This paper explores the issue of harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) presented by young people, advocating a preventative approach through an increased focus on primary education. The definition of HSB, contributing factors and recent prevalence among young people is discussed. Much of the research and policies explored relate directly to England and the UK, however the advocated approaches and conclusions have an international relevance. The paper establishes the damaging impacts of HSB on young people and teachers, demonstrating the serious need for action across the education system. A preventative approach advocating the important role of primary education in reducing HSB and peer on peer abuse is presented, exploring three key areas: education, pastoral support and staff support. Policies and practices comprising such an approach are critiqued, and their relevance to primary education established. The need for future research into the needs of primary education and the prevalence of HSB in pre-secondary education is identified.

Navigating Confidentiality Dilemmas in Student Support: An Institutional Ethnography Informed Study.

School-level student support programmes provide students with pastoral care and support for academic, wellbeing and other issues often via a personal tutor (PT). PT work is a balancing act between respecting the confidential information divulged by students and doing what is expected in terms of accountability and duty of care. We aimed to explore how tutors manage this tension, with the aim of advancing understanding of student support programmes. This qualitative study was informed by an Institutional Ethnography approach. We conducted 11 semi-structured interviews with PTs from one medical school in Singapore. We considered how they worked in relation to relevant national and institutional-level policy documents and reporting guidelines. Data collection and analysis were iterative. We crafted two composite accounts to illustrate the dilemmas faced by PTs. The first depicts a PT who supports student confidentiality in the same way as doctor-patient confidentiality. The second account is a PT who adopted a more mentoring approach. Both tutors faced confidentiality challenges, using different strategies to "work around" and balance tensions between accountability and maintaining trust. PTs were torn between school and student expectations. Fostering trust in the tutor-student relationship is a priority for tutors but tensions between confidentiality, accountability and governance sometimes make it difficult for tutors to reconcile with doing what they think is best for the student. A more nuanced understanding of the concept of confidentiality may help support PTs and ultimately students.

“It’s different than a doctor saying ‘You’re making the right choice’”: A qualitative study of chaplains’ experience caring for patients undergoing abortion in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia

ObjectivesHealth care chaplains are faith providers with theological education, pastoral experience, and clinical training who provide spiritual care to patients, their families, and medical staff. This study sought to characterize chaplains’ experiences providing spiritual care for patients experiencing abortion and pregnancy loss and to explore how chaplains gain competency and comfort in providing pastoral care for this patient population. Study designResearchers conducted in-depth, semistructured, qualitative interviews with currently-practicing chaplains recruited via convenience sampling in the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia region. We analyzed interviews using directed content analysis and coded using both inductive and deductive coding. ResultsWe interviewed 13 chaplains. The majority were Protestant and identified as Democrats. Participants often personally struggled with the acceptability of abortion but emphasized the importance of spiritual care for this patient population. They recognized that religious stigma regarding abortion prevented referrals to chaplaincy. Though desiring to contribute, chaplains reported little formal education in pregnancy support counseling. They relied on foundational pastoral care skills, like holding space, values clarification, connecting with patients’ spirituality, words of comfort, ritualistic memorialization, and resource provision. All desired more training specific to abortion and pregnancy loss in chaplaincy education. ConclusionsChaplains from varied faith backgrounds have a diverse set of skills to support patients experiencing abortion or pregnancy loss, but feel underutilized and lacking in formal training. Though not all patients require pastoral support, chaplains can be critical members of the care team, particularly for those patients experiencing spiritual distress. ImplicationsChaplains have a paucity of training in supporting patients experiencing abortion and pregnancy loss. Chaplains want to be involved with patients experiencing abortion but feel excluded by both patients and practitioners. Standardization of pastoral care training is important to ensure adequate spiritual support for patients who desire such services.

Utilizing Poetry as Spiritual Care for Hospital Staff.

This personal reflection emphasizes the potential benefits of poetry for interfaith spiritual and pastoral support of medical professionals. Details are provided for the implementation of several successful practices, including an Intensive Care Unit Poetry Basket, Portable Poetry with Aromatherapy Towelette Hand Blessings, and Presenting Poems to Nurse Practice Council. The references include the poetry used in the spiritual care activities and the author also provided a helpful "Further Resources" section.

The ‘haves and have-nots’ of social support during police recruitment: why the playing field is anything but level

ABSTRACT Current police recruitment research is often focused on disproportionate outcomes based upon identity-based categories such as race, ethnicity, or gender. National government statistics and political discourse support this research agenda, indicating a significant recruitment gap in representation in England and Wales. This gap has resulted in the design and use of ‘in-house’ positive action initiatives for police recruitment, with little examination of their impact or otherwise. To understand this research gap, this paper applies a labour market lens to police recruitment. This study contributes to existing research by exploring how police recruits navigate the recruitment process using their social resources. It represents 27 in-depth, participant-led, long-form interviews within an English Constabulary, informed by the theory of Social Embeddedness. It explores how candidates who did not receive positive action navigated and perceived their recruitment process, whilst using their friends, family, and acquaintances for both instrumental and pastoral support. This is contrasted against those candidates that utilised positive action initiatives. The results illustrate developed social embeddedness within police recruitment in the researched constabulary. Recruits who drew heavily upon social contacts experienced instrumental and pastoral support throughout the recruitment process. Some stages of recruitment were more socially embedded than others, resulting in some specific, instrumental advantages. The nature of this social support evidences how disproportionality can be generated in police recruitment. Candidates using positive action initiatives experienced negative, pastoral social support, and temporal instrumental support – illuminating a very different journey during their presocialisation into policing. This finding underpins evidentially informed positive action interventions.

Unattended grieving in the context of COVID 19 in Botswana

This article explores the phenomenon of unattended grieving in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Botswana. It focuses on the integration of psychological and pastoral care approaches to provide psycho-pastoral accompaniment for individuals experiencing grief during this crisis. The article examines the unique challenges faced by individuals in processing their grief and proposes a comprehensive approach that combines psychological interventions with pastoral support. It is believed that by adopting the psycho-pastoral accompaniment approach, individuals in Botswana can effectively navigate the grieving process and find solace and healing beyond the pandemic.

Progress Testing in UK Medical Education: Evaluating Its Impact and Potential.

This comprehensive review critically examines the UK medical curriculum, with a particular focus on progress testing as an innovative assessment strategy. The curriculum, evolving from foundational sciences to practical applications, is encapsulated in the integrated curriculum model (ICM). This model adeptly combines theoretical knowledge with clinical practice, fostering cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills among medical students. Central to this review is an exploration of progress testing. This method, grounded in constructivist learning theories, emphasises continuous assessment and professional development. Progress testing's regular, comprehensive examinations are instrumental in guiding students through the progressive stages of competence, as outlined in Miller's pyramid, from foundational knowledge to clinical proficiency. The review also addresses the broader impacts of progress testing on teaching approaches, student feedback, academic and pastoral support, and quality assurance. By aligning with the dynamic requirements of 21st-century medical training, progress testing not only nurtures well-rounded professionals but also ensures compliance with regulatory bodies like the General Medical Council. Its emphasis on continuous evaluation aligns with the practical realities of a medical career, driving curricular innovation and aligning with regulatory standards. The implementation of progress testing marks a significant advancement in medical education. Its continuous, holistic nature benefits both students and educators, nurturing a more engaged learning attitude and meeting evolving medical needs. The adoption of this assessment strategy is seen as pivotal in shaping competent medical professionals, ready to face the challenges of modern medical practice.

‘… They're talking to you as if they're kind of dumbing it down’: A thematic analysis of Black students' perceived reasons for the university awarding gap

AbstractIt is widely acknowledged that there is an awarding gap in higher education, with proportionally more White students achieving a good honours degree compared to their minoritized ethnic counterparts. Furthermore, the gap is largest between Black and White students, hence necessitating initiatives to understand the perspectives of Black students on perceived reasons for the awarding gap. Thus, the present study aimed to explore the perspectives of Black undergraduate Psychology students through the use of qualitative methodology. Sixteen participants took part in two focus groups, which were transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data. Self‐determination theory provided a framework for contextualising the findings. Three main themes emerged, with participants describing being exposed to signals of unbelonging such as negative racial stereotypes and microaggressions. Within this theme, they discussed their responses to these signals of unbelonging, such as conforming to perceived White norms in an effort to belong and feel ‘normal’. Participants also highlighted the role played by parental influence and relationships on their academic experience. They also discussed experiences with university tutors that were deemed unfavourable. Together, the racialised experiences identified threatened the fulfilment of their needs for competence, autonomy and relatedness. It is thus imperative that higher education institutions actively engage their Black and minoritized ethnic students in order to understand their experiences and foster a sense of belonging at university. Furthermore, the findings regarding parental influence provide an opportunity for structural redress through widening participation efforts and adequate pastoral support.